Senator Gatchalian: ₱12.3 billion from HS voucher program did not go to poor students

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian estimates that at least ₱12.30 billion that should have gone to Filipino student beneficiaries of the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP) allegedly went to "non-poor" recipients in 2024.

Based on estimates of the senator’s office, the minimum "leakage" amounts to 47% of the ₱26.31 billion allotted to the SHS-VP for School Year (SY) 2024–2025.

Using data from the 2024 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS), Gatchalian’s analysis found that 67% of SHS-VP beneficiaries for SY 2024–2025 came from non-poor households.

During the latest Senate hearing, Gatchalian expressed frustration over the Department of Education’s (DepEd) failure to issue new guidelines to plug gaps in the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE), nearly two years after he led an inquiry that uncovered “ghost students” and billions of pesos in leakages.

“Ang gusto namin aksyon, hindi puro pangako. Nagiging volume game na ito ng mga eskuwelahan, for profit na ngayon ang senior high school. Padamihan ng estudyante, tapos kayo ang sisingilin,” Gatchalian told the DepEd representative, describing what he said appears to be a new modus.

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said the new guidelines should prioritize the poorest learners, address leakages, ensure quality assurance, and result in public school decongestion.

Meanwhile, he is pushing to expand government assistance to private schools through a uniform voucher system, which will include learners from Kindergarten to Grade 6.

Aside from implementing a uniform voucher system in all levels of private basic education, Gatchalian also seeks to ensure that government assistance to private schools will result in the decongestion of overcrowded public schools.

“Tutulong tayo sa pribadong paaralan, pero ang benepisyo dapat diretso sa mga estudyanteng higit na nangangailangan,” said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.

His bill also pushes prioritization for learners from low-income households and completers of the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

By filing the Government Assistance to Private Basic Education Act (Senate Bill No. 364), Gatchalian seeks to address gaps in the current implementation of programs under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE), including the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP)  and the Educational Service Contracting (ESC).  

During the 19th Congress, Gatchalian led an inquiry that flagged billions of pesos in leakages for both the SHS-VP and the ESC. The inquiry also raised alarms about the inclusion of ghost students in the SHS-VP. 

Paraluman News