THE UNIVERSITY has released the first tranche of the faculty’s long-awaited tuition hike share worth P27.8 million, representing teachers’ legally mandated 70% share of tuition increases from Academic Year (AY) 2020-2021.
UST Faculty Union (USTFU) President Emerito Gonzales said the P21.8 million for across-the-board salary upgrades was released at 10 a.m. on May 20, while the remaining P6 million was set aside for the replenishment of the union’s hospitalization package.
“The [P]21.8 million was released today at 10 a.m. The [P]6 million is set aside to replenish the medical benefits after ratification (of the collective bargaining agreement),” Gonzales told the Varsitarian.
UST management’s decision to release P27.8 million in faculty’s tuition hike share was discussed during the fourth conciliation and mediation conference under the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) on April 24.
This amount, if distributed among qualified faculty members, would range from P32,666 for a teacher with an Instructor 1 rank and a 21-unit load to P95,677 for those with a Professor 5 rank and the same load, according to UST.
However, a total of P219.3 million in teachers’ tuition hike share has yet to be released.
This includes P51.4 million from AY 2021-2022, P63.2 million from AY 2022-2023, and P104.6 million from AY 2023-2024, said UST in a statement on April 10.
UST management and USTFU have yet to clarify how this amount would be distributed, though the two parties have already reached a compromise on the 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
“This settlement marks a significant step forward for both parties, reflecting a shared commitment to dialogue, mutual respect, and constructive resolution. More importantly, it reinforces our unity and shared purpose of advancing the interests of the academic community,” the statement read.
