“So my simple question is, with P13 billion, we know it is not enough. What is going to happen with that amount of money? Are we going to cut in half the senior high school voucher program?” he asked.
Head of DepEd’s voucher program Undersecretary Jess Mateo said the P13 billion is only enough to fund the voucher program beneficiaries’ second semester of the current school year. “‘Yung P13 billion, P11 billion of that will be enough to pay the second semester of this school year 2020 to 2021. So which means only P2 billion is left for the first semester [of next year],” Mateo said.
“In other words, ‘yung school year 2021 to 2022 first semester, hindi pa siya sigurado?” Gatchalian asked, to which Mateo answered in the affirmative. DepEd’s voucher program aims to ease the cost of schooling for qualified senior high school students.