PLM receives P117.5M in subsidy as city addresses funding lapse

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) received a total of PHP 117.5 million from Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso on Jan. 23 following news of the university’s severe financial strain.

During the 26th City Government Directional Meeting with the university’s administration and Board of Regents, Mayor Domagoso personally turned over the funds to PLM President Atty. Domingo “Sonny” Reyes Jr., noting that the funding gap has pushed the city-run university to the brink of bankruptcy after allegedly missing sufficient funding for six quarters.

However, the mayor noted that the amount is still not enough. 

The funds turned over by Mayor Domagoso covered two quarters of the subsidy from 2025. Meanwhile, Php 223.75 million unpaid subsidy obligations from the four earlier quarters were left by the previous city administration, as per the City Mayor.  

Mayor Domagoso also stressed that the city government can no longer delay action, emphasizing that PLM’s financial instability directly affects its capacity to deliver quality education to its students. 

Moreover, Domagoso also expressed his intention to release another tranche of subsidy to PLM by April.

“I’m going to confront this problem. We need to help PLM. PLM is producing top-notch students,” he added.

Meanwhile, in “Yorme’s Hour,” a special broadcast by the Manila Public Information Office posted after the visit, Domagoso mentioned that the subsidy release was made possible through the city’s taxpayers, particularly through revenues from the recently implemented hike in business garbage collection fees.