Marcos vetoes measure declaring PUP as National Polytechnic University

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vetoed a bill that would have strengthened the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and declared it the National Polytechnic University. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro announced the veto during a Malacañang press briefing, explaining that a 2016 directive required an assessment of the university, which PUP failed to comply with. Castro stated the President remains hopeful PUP will achieve national university status once all requirements are met but did not specify the reasons for non-compliance.

The proposed Revised PUP Charter aimed to extend support to other polytechnic state institutions nationwide and establish PUP as the primary provider of higher occupational, technical, and professional programs in fields like engineering, architecture, and applied sciences.

PUP's Faculty Regent and the Buklod Guro PUP group expressed deep concern over the veto, acknowledging disappointment but urging the university community to address the cited shortcomings. They emphasized using this experience to fight for "genuine institutional and fiscal autonomy," which they described as essential for academic freedom, stakeholder participation, and protection from external influence.

In a separate statement, PUP warned that the veto threatens several campuses with imminent closure due to lacking national funding—support that would have been secured if the bill passed. The university condemned the decision as "a rejection of expanding access to quality public higher education" and noted this marks the second time such a bill for national university status has been vetoed.