Manila, Philippines - Responding to complaints of parents and students about the exorbitant miscellaneous fees being charged by colleges and universities, the Senate will conduct an inquiry this Thursday into the issue and compel the administrations of these institutions to explain these charges.
The inquiry was prompted by Resolution 488 filed by Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. who decried the “absurd charges” being imposed by the colleges and universities, which in some cases amount to more than the actual tuition fees of the students.
Villar lamented that these miscellaneous fees are an added burden on parents and students who already have to cope with higher tuition fees, which went up by an average of 10 percent as approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
“The rise in tuition costs has led to the decrease in enrollment in private institutions in the last decade, from a 68 percent enrollment share in 2000 to 63.9 percent in the last school year,” Villar said.
He noted that the approving authority of the CHED covers only the tuition fee increases sought for by the institutions and not the miscellaneous fees that they add on top of the tuition.
“The non-regulation of miscellaneous fees has given some colleges and universities the freedom to impose redundant, excessive and often ridiculous charges, which they lump together in so-called miscellaneous fees,” Villar said.
“Examples of these absurd charges are aircon fees, energy fees (for students charging of their cell phones and other electronic gadgets in school), Internet/e-mail fees, sports/athletic fees, UAAP fee, etc,” he added.
In some cases, Villar said the specific charges being collected under miscellaneous fees are not disclosed by the institutions.
“Schools advertising ‘no tuition hike’ but conceal additional and hidden charges in the guise of miscellaneous fees mislead students and parents alike,” he said.
“High miscellaneous fees make it more difficult to cope with the rising costs of tertiary education. Schools should practice transparency in the imposition of miscellaneous fees by identifying one by one the charges covered by such,” he added.
No tuition hike on state-run schools in Davao
Meanwhile, the CHED Southern Mindanao office said no state college or university applied for an increase in tuition fee in the coming school year.
Several state colleges and universities are located in the region, including the University of the Philippines-Mindanao campus and the University of Southeastern Philippines here in Davao City.
At least 91 higher education institutions in the region sought an increase in their tuition fees but only 31 applications were granted. The 31 schools were reportedly the only ones that were able to comply with the requirements specified by CHED.
CHED XI also conducted multi-sectoral consultations before an application for tuition increase was granted.
The Ateneo de Davao University emerged as the most expensive school in the region with as much as P870.45 per unit. The school was granted six percent increase to its P821.20 per unit previous ceiling.
CHED XI granted the highest increase of 20 percent to Southern Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, Inc., followed by the 15 percent increase for Brokenshire College and Rizal Memorial College, all in Davao City.
The other schools here in Davao City that were also allowed to increase their tuition fees were Agro-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines, Davao Doctors College, Davao Medical School Foundation, Davao Merchant Marine Academy of Southern Philippines,
Holy Cross Academy of Sasa Inc., Holy Cross College of Calinan, Holy Cross of Davao College, Holy Cross of Davao College-Babak, John Paul II College of Davao, Jose Maria College, Philippine Women’s College of Davao, San Pedro College, UM Guianga College and University of Mindanao.
CHED XI said the schools have the autonomy to identify the need to increase their respective tuition fees as mandated by law. – Edith Regalado