Department of Budget and Management Secretary Mina F. Pangandaman approved the release of the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P55.65 million to cover the construction of a three-storey Student Center Building, which will improve the education facilities at Mindanao State University - main campus in Marawi City.

“Tulad po ng lagi kong sinasabi, our youth are the torchbearers of our future. That is why it’s important that we support them by providing the necessary equipment and facilities. ‘Yan din po ang marching order ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. dahil alam niya ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon. So, on our part po, we will continue to help gear up the youth,” Sec. Pangandaman emphasized.

The three-storey Student Center Building, which has an allocated area of 1,850 square meters, will serve as a venue for the promotion, development, and implementation of various student-related programs and activities of the university.

“Improving education facilities is essential for creating a conducive learning environment for all learners, including those in remote and hard-to-reach areas,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said in his budget message.

The implementation of this Locally-Funded Project (LFP) will be chargeable against MSU-Marawi’s built-in appropriations under the fiscal year 2023 General Appropriations Act.

Aside from this, DBM allotted P154.192 million in the 2024 national budget to the Free Higher Education (FHE) program in MSU-Marawi. (DBM/PIA-Caraga)