THE CATHOLIC Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP), the largest private school organization in the country with 1,184 members, challenged the tuition and fees rollback announcement of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Early this year, The Manila Times reported that CHED would implement a tuition rollback for the coming school year. However, the commission denied the reports and reiterated its position that it has no power to order schools to roll back tuition.
CEAP executive director Dr. Mariano Piamonte said a rollback is not feasible for private learning institutions, particularly its largest members such as the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and University of Santo Tomas.
He said these institutions mainly depend on tuition for physical development and salaries of their personnel.
Despite the perennial tuition and other fees’ increases, CHED said there was a significant decrease in the national percentage tuition increase (12.35 percent or P34.47 per course unit) for SY 2001-2002. A 13.11 percent increase was recorded for SY 2000-2001; 16 percent for SY 1999-2000; 16.03 for SY 1998-1999; and 16.33 percent for SY 1997-1998.
Meanwhile, UST administration says its tuition increase is still relatively lower compared with other Catholic colleges and universities.
“If you will compare UST with Ateneo or De La Salle, our tuition and other fees are relatively lower. But we have to admit that because of the high cost of living, our fees here in UST, which used to cater to classes C and D, have to increase,” said College of Science Dean Gloria Bernas.
Batas Pambansa 232 deregulates the tuition and fees in private higher education institutions and the CHED Memorandum Order 13 of 1998 spells out the guidelines and procedures to be followed by universities and colleges intending to increase their tuition and other fees. Ma. Lynda C. Corpuz, with a report from Bernardette S. Sto. Domingo
