Filipino students are unable to prepare for the future because of corruption in higher education. It’s just a matter of honest management by our leaders, said the Mapua topnotch engineer.

The Netherlands has no mountains, Switzerland has no ocean, Singapore has no rice fields, Saudi Arabia has no forests, and Japan is not rich in mineral resources, yet these countries are progressive and highly developed simply because their leaders know how to manage their resources.

The Philippines has everything, but a large part of our population lives in poverty. The best of our people have to go abroad and work hard as caretakers to send money back to their families because the leaders of our country are corrupt, unable to manage our resources properly.

In 2014, during the incumbency of Dr. Patricia Licuanan as chairwoman of CHEd and Dr. Ricardo Rotoras as president of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTSP), the Commission on Audit (CoA) issued a notice of disallowance on a particular science laboratory equipment supply project worth almost P400 million.

Part of this amount—P186 million—was disallowed by CoA because of irregularities. The laboratory equipment was never used and was kept in a store room, unused by students.

Engineer Selwyn Lao, president of Wing-An Construction, deplored the deprivation of university students of laboratory equipment for their studies because of the misbehavior of leaders in higher education.

Lao said the students suffer because of corruption. “The university was established to mold the future generation. Unfortunately, the institution is being managed by corrupt officials. Corruption continues to persist because the perpetrators are not being investigated,” he said.

“I pity the less-fortunate Filipinos comprising the majority of our society who are more often seen struggling for their right to survive,” Lao said.

“Wing-An Construction’s losses are insignificant compared to the losses of the true victims, the students of Mindanao. Students who are entitled to better educational facilities and proper educational attainment are now being robbed of a brighter future,” he said.

Laboratory equipment are critically important in a university of science and technology because they facilitate hands-on experiential learning by enabling students to test hypotheses, analyze data, and conduct experiments, which solidifies theoretical knowledge, builds practical skills, and prepares them for careers in science and technology. Well-equipped labs are also essential for conducting high-quality research, driving innovation, and contributing to national development.

Laboratory equipment is indispensable. First, they enhance understanding by bridging theory and practice. Lab equipment allow students to see the practical application of scientific theories, making abstract concepts tangible and easier to understand.

Students gain direct, first-hand knowledge by performing experiments, rather than just reading about them. In short, students gain hands-on experience.

The root cause for the lack of laboratory equipment in our science and technology universities and colleges are budgetary constraints and underfunding, mismanagement and wrongful utilization of funds, inequitable distribution of resources and lack of teacher training and maintenance.