Duterte vetoes bill designating PUP as national polytechnic university 

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed a bill granting the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) the status of a national polytechnic university.

In letters addressed to the Senate and the House of Representatives dated Sept. 4, Duterte said he has “serious reservations on the suitability” to grant PUP with such a designation.

“As such, its proposed designation as national polytechnic university needs to be reassessed in light of its current performance ranking among other state universities and colleges (SUCs),” the letter read.

Duterte also cited that the performance of PUP satellite campuses and extension programs need evaluation before it can be granted with national university status.

In June, the President also vetoed a bill that seeks to establish a PUP campus in Calauan, Laguna.

READ: Bill on PUP campus in Calauan, Laguna vetoed – Tolentino

The letter also indicated that a reassessment is “all the more needed considering that the enrolled bill provides for the grant of fiscal autonomy to PUP.”

“The proposed provision on appropriations would also have a fiscal impact on the government, which may be avoided only if the PUP budget would continue to be subject to the need of prioritization and the usual budgetary and monitoring processes,” Duterte wrote in the letter.  /muf

READ: Duterte’s veto message on bill proposing to grant national polytechnic university status