The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) with various student leaders and youth sectors filed a petition at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on April 24 to oppose the impending tuition hike in some private universities.

The appeal was filed due to the proposed tuition and other fees increase (TOFI) ranging from 3 percent to 10 percent. This, despite Filipinos still recovering from the pandemic, on top of the 8.5-percent inflation rate which would mean additional charges to a student’s tuition fee and other necessities for school, said Wyncyr Quizon, president of the University of the East (UE) student council.

"Naramdaman natin yung effect ng pandemic noong nagdaang taon. And as of now, bumabangon pa rin yung families," said Quizon.

Among the petitioners were the NUSP, and student council leaders from University of Santo Tomas (UST) and UE.

In UE, for instance, there is an imminent and a record-breaking 9.5 percent increase in tuition fees compared to the usual 4 to 5 percent. Before the proposed hike, a unit of class in UE costs P1,768.30. But after the proposed TOFI is approved, one class unit may cost P1,936, according to Quizon.

The tuition hike in UST, on the other hand, is 7 percent. But no proper communication was established to consult with the students, according to the statement of the UST central student council. 

When private educational institutions determine their matriculation fees, they are to submit documents containing the annual tuition and other school fees which will be implemented in the following academic year. 

An average tuition hike of 12.06 percent was greenlighted by CHED during the academic year 2021-2022 from 10.49 percent in the previous year. 

But before imposing TOFI, private universities are required to confer with their constituents regarding the increase, according to CHED Memorandum No. 3 in 2012. The deadline for consultations ended on April 28, after being extended by three days. 

The youth groups are forwarding to the national government, through their appeal presented in CHED, to freeze the tuition hike until the next academic year. 

"Caught in between ang mga magulang at estudyante kung anong uunahin nila, kung buhay o edukasyon–[pero] pareho silang [mahalaga]," said Quizon. ●

With reports from John Florentino Perez and Ysabel Vidor.