Press Release
March 30, 2010

PUP BOARD REJECTS 17-FOLD TUITION HIKE ON ROXAS' MOTION

The Board of Regents of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, on motion of LP vice-presidential bet Senator Mar Roxas, rejected the state university administration's proposed 17-fold increase in tuition and miscellaneous fee rates from P12 to P200 per unit ostensibly to improve school facilities.

In a meeting on Monday afternoon attended by nine members, the PUP BoR unanimously approved the motion of Dr. Mario Taguiwalo, Roxas' representative as chairman of the Senate Education Committee, to reject the proposal to hike university fees.

PUP President Dante Guevarra had justified there was a need to increase school fees from P12 per unit to P200 per unit, or P4,800 for a 24-unit semester for incoming freshmen of laboratory-intensive courses such as Engineering and Computer Management, because of a clamor for better school facilities.

Among those present in the meeting on Monday afternoon were Commission on Higher Education Chairman Emmanuel Angeles, PUP President Dante Guevarra, Alumni Regent Rene Tanasas, Faculty Regent Rufo Bueza, Student Regent Donnavie Pascual, Private Sector Regent Marcial Magsino, NEDA Regent Margarita Songco, Dr. Mario Taguiwalo (representative of Senate Regent Mar Roxas) and Armi Dayot-Corpuz (representative of the House of Representatives).

The meeting was held following the unruly protests carried out by PUP students at the PUP main campus in Manila and at the CHED office in Quezon City last week.

On Monday morning, Guevarra dropped charges of robbery with intimidation and violence against the five students who were arrested and detained by elements of the Manila Police District last week after leading an indignation rally at the university campus and taking out school properties without the consent of university officials.

The PUP main campus in Manila's Sta. Mesa district accommodates about 32,000 students. It has 21 campuses across the nation.

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