No tuition hike in UP

Please allow me to set the record straight on an article which appeared on page 16 of The Philippine STAR (June 7) titled “Private schools, SUCs hike tuition fees” by Rainier Allan Ronda.

In the seventh paragraph, the National Union of Students of the Philippines and other unnamed student leaders were quoted as saying that the University of the Philippines (UP) is among the state universities and colleges that increased tuition this year.

This is not true. There is no tuition increase at any of the seven constituent universities and one autonomous college of the country’s national university.

The allegation that UP increased its tuition through a more systematic implementation of the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) was raised in June 2011 and was answered by the UP administration at that time. It is being resurrected as today as news without any basis or fact.

When Dr. Alfredo Pascual started his term as UP President in February 2011, he said, “Much as UP is badly in need of funds, raising tuition fees in our undergraduate and research programs will not be our default solution. Our students must remain as Iskolar ng Bayan - enjoying an excellent but affordable tertiary education in a public university.” He stands by that position today.

The UP administration is committed to this promise not to increase tuition, a point we have stressed countless times in our meetings with student leaders, media and other concerned groups and individuals. We request that media organizations get our side before publishing their stories on this matter. —

Dr. J. PROSPERO E. DE VERA III, Vice-President for Public Affairs, University of the Philippines System, E- mail — jpdevera@up.edu.ph