The Board of Regents of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) was urged by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to first consult students and other stakeholders affected by a proposal to increase tuition fees.

CHEd Executive Director Julito Vitriolo said the proposed tuition hike at PUP should undergo the process of consultation even though it will only affect freshmen.

Vitriolo said the school can’t “just implement the tuition increase without undergoing consultations” even if only “incoming or freshmen students are the ones that will primarily be affected.”

He said PUP Board of Regents should hold a meeting with stakeholders and discuss the proposed hike.

“They should also explain how and in what areas or aspect they intend to use the funds collected due to increase,” he said.

Vitriolo said the proposed tuition fee hike seems to be without basis since PUP is classified as a “State University” which gets an annual budget from the government.

“Imposing tuition increase would make PUP no different from the private schools that could result to violation of Republic Act 8292 or the law providing greater access on education to poor but deserving students,” he said.

On the other hand, PUP president Dr. Dante Guevarra claimed that the tuition fee increase is necessary for the school’s improvement and development.

“For 30 years, the tuition at PUP remains one of lowest among State Universities and that PUP has not enforced any tuition increase,” he said.

Many PUP students walked out of their classes to protest the proposed 2,000 percent tuition increase, which they claimed will affect some 50,000 enrollees in the coming semester.

PUP student regent Donna Pascual said the proposal to increase PUP tuition from P12 per unit to P200 per unit will take effect next semester when classes open and is expected to affect all incoming freshmen in the university. She also added that the proposed increase is scheduled to be discussed in the PUP Board of Regents meeting on March 29.

Central Student Council president-elect Chaser Soriano said that many students feared the impending implementation of the tuition fee hike after the establishment of the PUP College of Technology last year where incoming freshmen were charged P200 per unit.

Soriano said what the PUP administration did was to test the waters by forming a new college.