SINABI ni Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto na ang ‘college diploma’ ay hindi lamang isang piraso ng papel dahil maaari itong makadagdag ng pitong taon sa pag-asang mabuhay.
Aniya, nakatutulong ang higher education na mapahusay ang mahabang buhay at overall well-being at karagdagan sa financial rewards nito.
Sa kamakailan lamang na naging talumpati ni Recto sa mga opisyal ng state universities and colleges, napukaw ang atensyon ng Kalihim sa hindi inaasahang benepisyo na darating sa pagsusulong ng higher education.
“A college graduate also enjoys a longer life expectancy, living seven years more on average from age 25. His likelihood of being in good health is 44 percent greater,” ang sinabi ni Recto sa 2024 Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) annual convention at general assembly.
“A college diploma may not make one as rich as Elon Musk. But it is a tried-and-tested ticket out of poverty–towards a life of prosperity and health,” aniya pa rin, sabay sabing mas maraming manggagawa na may college diplomas ang maaaring makapagpahusay ng ekonomiya ng bansa.
Tinuran pa ni Recto na ang pagkakaroon ng college education ay mayroong ‘higher rate of return’ kumpara sa kung ano ang maiaalok ng Bangko at stocks, maaaring magbunga ng 15%.
“Another study reveals that a college graduate’s chances of unemployment are 2.2 times lower compared to a high school graduate. His likelihood of securing a retirement plan through employment increases by 72 percent,” anito.
Tinukoy nito ang World Bank study kung saan tinatayang 17% ang itinaas sa kita para sa mga college degrees, ang pinakamataas kumpara sa mayroong primary at secondary education lamang.
“The biggest chunk of the P5.767 trillion budget for this year went to the education sector with P969 billion, up by 8.2 percent from the previous year,” ayon kay Recto.
Sinabi pa nito na ang SUCs ay mayroong double-digit increase sa funding ng 19.3% hanggang 132.9 billion pesos ngayong 2024, kabilang na ang P21.7 billion allotment para sa free tertiary education para sa mahigit na 3.1 million students sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa.
Para mapunan ito, sinabi ni Recto na prayoridad din ng gobyerno ang ‘social protection, food security, at physical infrastructure’ para matiyak na ang mga Filipino ay “not just well-educated but are healthy and thriving.”
“This year, the government is spending around P440 billion on social protection programs, P221.7 billion on the agriculture sector, and P1.47 trillion on infrastructure projects including disaster-resilient school buildings,” ayon kay Recto sabay sabing ‘[R]ail projects like the upcoming Metro Manila Subway and the LRT-1 Cavite Extension will dramatically help students within the metro and nearby provinces to travel seamlessly to university areas.”
Hinikayat naman ni Recto ang SUCs na pangunahan na itaas ang ‘competitiveness’ ng educational institutions ng bansa na makapagpo-produce ng AI-ready graduates para sa bagong ekonomiya.
“Rest assured, the DOF stands ready to support the PASUC every step of the way in nurturing a new generation of healthy, smart, and globally competitive Bagong Pilipino,” aniya pa rin. (Daris Jose)
