THE TENS of millions of pesos in the faculty’s share of tuition hikes should not be seen as an “act of generosity” from UST, but rather as “delayed payments” since 2020, the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) said.
In a statement on April 13, USTFU said UST management was discussing the legally mandated 70% share of tuition increases in the wrong context.
“Highlighting these figures without acknowledging the extended delays is misleading and detracts from the real urgency and necessity of immediate disbursement,” the statement from the union read.
USTFU said the amount in question stood at P229 million. The administration has a different figure, P246 million, calculated from August 2020.
Under Republic Act 6728, or the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act, schools must set aside 70% of tuition increase collections for the salaries and benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel.
“Delays undermine the law’s intent, effectively depriving faculty members of legally mandated compensation,” the union said. “Such tactics undermine good-faith negotiations and violate fundamental principles of fairness.”
READ: UST vows to release P246 million to faculty under bargaining deal
UST had said in previous statements that the amount had been allocated, but could not be released without a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), a contract outlining the terms and conditions of work negotiated every five years.
The USTFU called this justification “legally indefensible” and “ethically wrong,” warning that it sets a “dangerous precedent.”
“By delaying disbursement under the pretext of waiting for the CBA, management exploits legal loopholes to maintain financial control over faculty funds,” the union said. “Faculty members suffer financial stagnation due to administrative delays.”
It also accused UST management of using accumulated tuition hike share due to delays in negotiations as leverage to pressure the union into accepting “unfavorable CBA terms.”
In its “final offer,” UST said it would raise the critical illness benefit to P300,000 from P200,000 if the union agreed to a P17-million salary restructuring budget taken from the 70% share in tuition hikes.
READ: EXPLAINER: Why UST faculty, admin are at odds over salary restructuring fund
‘UST downplaying CHEd show-cause order’
The union also blasted UST’s “clarification” about the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) show-caused order, which it said was being taken lightly by the administration.
“[T]he University’s claim that the show-cause order does not imply wrongdoing downplays its seriousness,” it said. “CHEd’s issuance of the order explicitly demands justification and evidence of compliance and reflects legitimate concerns regarding adherence to laws governing TFI (tuition hikes).”
In an April 10 statement, UST said the CHEd order was not a sanction and stemmed from the union’s request from a legal opinion in December, not from any formal complaint.
As an “autonomous” institution, UST is not subject to stringent CHEd oversight.
READ: UST given until March 27 to answer CHEd show-cause order
But such schools, if found to be non-compliant, risk losing their autonomous status in the next evaluation cycle, said CHEd Executive Director Cinderella Benitez-Jaro in an earlier interview.
“One of the criteria so that an institution can be given an autonomous status is that there should be no violation. It’s a pre-requisite that there should be no violation of existing rules and regulations of the commission and, of course, violation of the law pertaining to higher education,” Jaro had told the Varsitarian.
The union urged UST to uphold “justice and ethical responsibility” as a Catholic school.
“Delaying legally mandated employee benefits contradicts core Catholic values and principles of social justice, fairness, and ethical accountability. The CHEd show-cause order reinforces these principles by holding UST accountable,” it said.
“We continue our commitment to fairness, transparency, and justice, urging the University to demonstrate these values genuinely and immediately.” Micah G. Pascua
