Cordillera students alarmed over education budget cuts

BAGUIO CITY — Student groups in the Cordillera region are raising alarms over significant budget cuts proposed for 2026 to state universities and colleges, with three of the region’s schools among the hardest hit nationwide.

According to data from the 2026 National Expenditure Program, six of the seven state-run schools in the Cordillera are facing funding reductions.

Student organizations say the deepest cuts are in capital outlay, which funds new buildings, classrooms, laboratories and equipment.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines Cordillera said the cuts will worsen existing shortages of facilities and learning spaces. The proposed cuts include a P961.6 million reduction for Mountain Province State University, a 66 percent cut that is the second largest nationwide.