DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A total of 30 higher educational institutions in the region were granted approval of their petition to increase tuition and fees for academic year 2018- 2019, an official of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) here said on Thursday.
Dr. Raul Alvarez, Director IV of CHED 11, said that of the 95 public and private higher education institutions in Davao region, 37 HEIs have signified their intention to hike tuition fees in the ensuing academic year.
However, Alvarez pointed out that 37 HEIs were reduced to 30 out of the total number of HEIs in the region because of the recent developments brought upon the implementation of the Republic Act No. 10931 otherwise known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017.
“All are private higher education institutions,” Alvarez said, referring to the number of approved private colleges and universities that would hiked both tuition and fees.
Among the private HEIs that CHED approved to hike tuition and other school fees were: Agro Industrial Foundation College, Arriesgado College Foundation (excluding other school fees), Ateneo de Davao University,Brokenshire College, Davao Doctors College, Davao Medical School Foundation, Davao Vision College, Gabriel Taborin College of Davao, Holy Child College of Davao, Holy Cross College of Sasa, Holy Cross of Davao College, Interface Computer College, Liceo De Davao, Mindanao Medical Foundation College, Philippine Women’s College of Davao, Serapion Basalo Memorial Foundation College, San Pedro College, Southern Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, St. Peter’s College of Toril, St. John Paull II College of Davao, Tagum Doctors College, Tecarro College Foundation Inc. UM Colleges of Bansalan, Digos, Panabo, Penaplata, Tagum, University of Mindanao in Davao, and University of the Immaculate Conception.
The CHED official stressed that state-owned colleges and universities across the country were not allowed to increase their tuition and fees for school year 2018-2019 because of RA 10931 provides a 5-year moratorium not to impose any increase after the effectivity of said law.
Under RA 10931, all tuition and other fees charged by SUCs and LUCs shall not increase from the amounts used during the first semester of Academic Year 2017-2018, until such time that the system for the composite fee is implemented, or five-year transition period has lapsed, whichever comes first.
CHED XI found all 30 private HEIs “to be compliant after all schools conducted stakeholders’ consultation with CHED officials, submitted and complied satisfactorily the requirements in consonance with the Commission’s existing guidelines before the April 1 deadline this year,” Alvarez said.
In Davao region, the average increase for private colleges and universities with increase on tuition fee for School Year 2018-2019 is 4.77 percent or equivalent to P 22.86 per unit; and 4.66 percent or P 21.61 equivalent for other school fees.
The national average for private HEIs with tuition fee increase is 10.88 percent or P102.38 equivalent per unit; and 12.84 percent or P465.83 equivalent on other school fees, based on CHED’s consolidated data. (davaotoday.com)
