BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has denied it was hiding the list of private higher education institutions in Region 6 raising tuition fees.
To prove its transparency, the regional office yesterday identified the 15 private colleges and universities whose applications to increase their tuition it approved.
According to Dr. Rex Casiple, assistant regional director, the tuition hike ranged from four to 14 percent.
Three of the private tertiary schools are from Iloilo City, seven from Negros Occidental, three from Bacolod City and one each from Roxas City, Capiz and Aklan provinces.
In Iloilo City, the schools are:
- STI-College – six percent increase, or equivalent to P53.88
- St. Paul University Iloilo – seven percent increase (P38.28), and
- University of San Agustin – 14.8 percent (P92.48).
Casiple said he declined to name the schools last week because the list was not yet final.
CHED’s central office had the final say on the schools’ applications, he clarified.
In Negros Occidental, the schools raising their tuition fees are:
- Central Philippine Adventist College in Murcia town – 10 percent or equivalent to P50
- Colegio de Sta. Rita in San Carlos City – four percent (P21)
- Fellowship Baptist College in Kabankalan City – five percent (P22)
- Kabankalan Catholic College – 9.94 percent (P33)
- La Consolacion College in Isabela City – 10.25 percent (P26.75)
- Mt. Carmel College in Escalante City – 10 percent (P36), and
- Southland College – five percent (P15.43).
The sole college in Aklan that will increase its tuition is North Western Visayan College – 10 percent hike or equivalent to P34.75.
In Roxas City, Filamer Christian University is imposing a five percent increase or P19.17.
Casiple said the regional average of tuition fee increase is 7.79 percent or P37.61, a little lower than last year’s eight percent increase.
In Bacolod City, tertiary schools raising tuition are:
- STI-Bacolod – 5.5 percent increase or P38. 21
- University of St. La Salle – 4.38 percent or P36.76, and
- VMA Global College – 10 percent or P46.43.
In their applications, the 15 schools informed CHED Region 6 the increase will go to the salaries of their teachers and staff, and the improvement of their facilities.
Militant students the other day demanded that CHED order a freeze in tuition fees.
On Thursday, youth groups will hold a protest outside CHED Region 6 as part of a nationally-coordinated action against tuition and other school fee hikes.
“Tuition fee increases are unjust. Families are already being burdened by the high cost of commodities and services aggravated by calamities,” said Bryan Bosque, spokesperson of Anakbayan-Iloilo.
He warned of more students dropping out of school./PN
