2 MIN READ

By SHERWIN DE VERA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The Cordillera chapter of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) has called on students to collectively oppose looming tuition and other fee increases at two of the biggest private universities in Baguio City.

NUSP, a national alliance of student councils, also urged school administrations to ensure that consultations are a “genuinely  democratic process,” in which proposals from students are heard and seriously considered in their decisions.

In a statement, NUSP Cordillera said Saint Louis University (SLU) is set for a 6.5% increase in other fees across all academic levels, exceeding last year’s 6.25% hike. Meanwhile, the University of Baguio (UB) is proposing a 10% increase in tuition and miscellaneous fees, a move the school has also implemented in recent years.

“We maintain that a consultation should not function as a one-sided briefing or a mere information session. It must be a genuinely democratic process in which students are meaningfully heard and their positions have a real impact on the outcome,” the group stated.

Issuances from the Commission on Higher Education, Memorandum Order No. 3-2012 and CMO 13-1998 require consultation with the school’s constituents. 

This ensures an avenue to discuss the advantages and disadvantages and to hear objections and insights, with the last day set for February 28. They also mandate that the proposed increase be allocated as follows: 70% to staff salaries, 20% to facility improvements, and 10% to institutional use in proprietary schools.

Eugene Enciso, NUSP Crodillera coordinator, said they are also monitoring proposals from other private colleges and universities for fee increases. “Usually mayroon naman lahat, though, as for the figures po ng iba other than UB and SLU, in the process pa ng pag-alam,” he said.

NUSP Cordillera said repeated tuition and other fee increases come as inflation and living costs continue to rise. It called for the abolition of “redundant, exorbitant, and dubious school fees” and demanded transparency and meaningful student participation in financial decisions.

“Above all, we believe that education is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford yearly increases. Quality learning must come before profit,” the statement said.

UB students reject increase

UBians Rise Network, a students’ rights and welfare coalition at the university, rejected the proposed increase by university officials following a dialogue between the administration and student representatives.

In a statement, the UB Supreme Student Council said university officials met with student representatives and presented the proposed increase, including the financial context and cost drivers behind the plan.

During the consultation, the UB officials explained that a tuition adjustment is necessary due to rising expenses, including salaries, benefits, utilities, maintenance, academic services, student activities, capital costs, and international accreditation efforts. Variations in college increases, the administrators clarified,  depend on proposals from the deans, which include lab needs, curriculum updates, new subjects, micro-credentials, and inflation costs. On their end, students raised concerns about lab fees, WiFi connectivity, the classroom, and facility conditions. The administration promised to provide clarifications and would refer concerns to the relevant officials.

“We, UBians, firmly reject this dismissal of student voices. A consultation that does not meaningfully consider the perspectives and welfare of students falls short of the university’s mission,” UBians Rise Network stated.  

They urged university officials “to carefully review the 0% tuition proposal, to engage in transparent and good-faith discussions with the student body, and to prioritize student welfare in all financial decisions.”#nordis.net