THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas Faculty Union (USTFU) has proposed reduced travel to campus and targeted subsidies in response to the spike in fuel and transport costs brought about by the Middle East conflict.
USTFU submitted the results of its faculty survey in a letter to UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang O.P. on March 28, calling for a “differentiated blended-first” learning modality.
The survey, which drew 572 responses across 20 academic units, found that seven out of 10 faculty experienced a “moderate-or-worse increase in transportation cost,” while four out of 10 reported a “one-way commute longer than 60 minutes.”
USTFU also said in a statement that seven out of 10 respondents saw transportation and fuel allowance as a “top support measure.”
With three quarters of the teaching body preferring a blended or online-leaning arrangement, USTFU said the response should not be simplistic.
“The report does not endorse a simplistic shift to either full onsite or full online work…preserve onsite instruction where pedagogy clearly requires it, but reduce unnecessary reporting and travel while still protecting learning outcomes,” the USTFU statement read.
USTFU also suggested “immediate, targeted relief measures” for educators, such as transport or fuel allowance, flexibility in onsite reporting, compressed campus schedules, and internet or electricity support when online teaching is expanded.
The union asked for “more latitude for colleges to address their own distinct operational conditions,” with some units remaining structurally more onsite-dependent while others shifting to blended or online-leaning arrangements.
USTFU also suggested a possible “one-week online, one-week onsite schedule” scheme of consistent implementation of any online shift, especially for general education faculty serving multiple colleges, and called for broader consultation with stakeholders.
The union said its letter and proposal signaled a style of leadership anchored in consultation, documentation, and constructive engagement in an effort “not merely to react,” but to negotiate responsibly on behalf of faculty.
Gonzales previously suggested shifting most classes online amid rising fuel prices, in his letter to the administration on March 11.
He later clarified that the proposal was his own idea and did not represent the union’s official position.
USTFU then initiated the survey across all academic units, which served as the basis for its proposal to the Rector.
In a memorandum released on March 26, UST allowed its academic units to raise online classes to up to 50% of course hours.
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It also instructed academic units to allocate a higher proportion of onsite classes for skill-based and technical courses to achieve intended learning outcomes.
Summative assessments and validation of online submissions remained onsite.
Fuel prices at the pump have more than doubled a month after the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran and killed its clerical and military leaders.
In retaliation, Iranian revolutionary guards blocked access to the Strait of Hormuz, the sealane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman where a fifth of global oil trade passes.
