Hike!
I was riding the Philcoa jeep en route to MRT when I saw a small pamphlet sticked on to the frontwall. So there is a call for "boycott" of classes tomorrow, November 23.. Meeting place: AS Steps in UP Diliman. This is In line with the 1000 peso increase per academic unit in the said university, which will be followed with a rally to Mendiola on the 24th. Sounds fun? Naah… In UP, loud yells with huge banners and streamers held by a marching crowd are as normal as one would drink coffee in the morning before going to work…
In an article I read by Prof. Solita "Mareng Winnie" Monsod last Saturday from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, she explained carefully this new policy. According to the adhoc committee headed by Noel De Dios of the UP College of Economics, the proposed tution fee changes will happen this way:
The students (freshmen by 2007) whose families’ income is at the bottom 36 percent (70K or less) in bracket E will have free tution plus a stipend of 12k per month
Those students whose annual family income is at 36th-67th percentile (income of 70K-135K) or Bracket D will have 70% discount on tuition fee, (which also means that the P300 per unit will remain unchanged)
Those whose incomes are above 67-97 percent (range is 135K-500K) or Bracket C will be discounted with 40 percent on their tuition
Meanwhile students with families who have high, high earnings ranging from P500,000 to a whopping 1 million annually (or more) will be the ones paying the actual P1000 per unit. Which means the low income families will not suffer. Which means that the rich will pay more since they can afford to pay. Which is socially equal since the "subsidized" form of education inherently applies to those who cannot afford it. Which is "justice and equality" still is the university’s goal.
And if that happens, UP will have little problems asking the government to allocate funds for the improvement of its facilities, given that the budget will come from the students themselves, to maintain its statute as the country’s premiere university. And also the additional income will be used as stipends or allowances for the poor students. I think, even though there are "slight" changes in tution fee, the increase is not comparable to those of, lets say, tution fee of La Salle or Ateneo. The noveau riche should be grateful or thank UP since they can avail quality education at a very reasonable cost. A "win-win" situation, eh? This will take effect in school year 2007, which means that incoming UP students will be affected, and the old ones will pay the same amount.
And as for me, I will pay my tuition which will be deducted from my income.. and I am more than willing to do that, in the true spirit of socialization..
So, should I stay or should I go? I mean with the rallies 
November 25th, 2006 at 8:17 am
yep! i agree with the tuition fee hike. i initially had second thoughts on the issue, but later saw the logic as you have explained in your blog. this will help make the university maintain not only its facilities (which is more difficult and costly than just acquiring them) but also its workforce. sadly, most if not all employees who leave the university do so for practical reasons. hopefully, majority of the increase goes to staff development. both facilities and the teachers who use them in class are crucial for UP to live up to its title as the premier state university.