President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. vetoed the bill that would have converted the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) into the National Polytechnic University, citing the school’s failure to comply with longstanding requirements for institutional assessment.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Friday the veto was consistent with a 2016 directive mandating an assessment of higher education institutions seeking national university status.
“The President vetoed the bill because there was no compliance with the required assessment,” Castro told reporters during a media briefing.
“The directive has been in place since 2016, and as of now, there has been no proof that the necessary evaluation has been completed,” she added.
Online reports had earlier claimed that the measure had lapsed into law due to inaction by the President. However, Castro clarified that the bill had been actively vetoed.
When asked for specific details on which requirements the PUP failed to meet, Castro said the information she received did not outline particular deficiencies, but emphasized the need for further institutional review.
“It was based on the reassessment of what has been accomplished by the university,” she said.
Despite the veto, Malacañang expressed continued support for PUP’s aspirations to gain national university status in the future.
“The President remains hopeful that PUP will eventually meet all the necessary standards,” Castro said.
If enacted, the bill will amend the PUP charter to empower the university to fulfill its mission of providing inclusive and equitable education and promoting lifelong learning.
Founded in 1904, PUP is one of the country’s largest state universities, known for offering low-cost education and serving thousands of students from underprivileged backgrounds.
