16 N. Mindanao colleges apply for tuition increase

AT LEAST 16 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) or colleges in Northern Mindanao have applied for an increase in their tuition at the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).

The 16 schools and their corresponding increase include Christ the King College in Gingoog City (five percent); Iligan Capitol College (10 percent), Lyceum of Iligan (10 percent), Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital College Foundation Inc. (10 percent) and St. Michael’s College (9.8 percent) in Iligan City; La Salle University (seven percent) and Misamis University-Ozamis (five percent) in Ozamiz City; Misamis University-Oroquieta (five percent) and Southern Capital College (13 percent) in Oroquieta City; St. Rita College (10 percent) in Balingasag and The New El Salvador College (10 percent) in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental; San Agustin Institute of Technology (10 percent) in Valencia City, Bukidnon; North Central Mindanao College (10 percent) in Maranding, Lanao del Norte; and Liceo de Cagayan University (3.1 percent), Lourdes College (eight percent) and Xavier University (five percent) in Cagayan de Oro.

John A. Banaynal, Ched Education Supervisor, said two schools -- Cagayan de Oro College and Pilgrim Christian College -- opted not to increase tuition fees but instead increase their miscellaneous fees.

He added that two schools -- Picardial Institute of Science and Technology (10 percent) in Iligan City and San Isidro College (five percent) in Malaybalay City -- have informed Ched on the increase of tuition fees only for freshmen and transferees or new students.

Banaynal said every college who opts for an increase in tuition fees should undergo a procedure under the Ched guidelines like the process of consultation of schools with their students, parents, alumni, faculty and staffs (both teaching and non-teaching personnel) and that those who participate should agree with the increase.

Included also in the guidelines are: Certificate of Compliance (COC) which accounts on how the money from the increase of tuition fees went in the previous year of tuition increase stating that 70 percent of the proceeds derived from the tuition fee increase for the current school year are being used for payment and allowances; and a Certificate of Intended Compliance (COIC) where the increase would go stating that 70 percent of the proceeds to be derived from the increase shall be used for the payment of salaries, wages, allowance and other benefits of their personnel.

“Requirements are needed to be submitted to Ched for evaluation to know if a certain school complied properly,” Banaynal said.

He added that all 16 colleges have complied with the requirements needed to be submitted in Ched except for The New El Salvador College where some documentation still needs to be followed up.

Banaynal said Ched will inform the schools if they have complied with the required procedures and can start advising the students in implementing the increase in tuition fees.

Catalina R. Hayrosa-Gaite, Xavier University Communications Office director, said they have applied for a five percent tuition increase for all levels.

She said 70 percent of the tuition increase will go to the wages of the faculty, staff and personnel while the remaining amount will be used for the infrastructure developments of the school and for the tuition assistance of Tropical Storm Sendong victims.

Gaite said they have undergone consultation with the students last February 28.

She said they are giving cash and tuition assistance for the current school year to those whose parents died because of ‘Sendong’.

She added that for the currently enrolled juniors and seniors affected by ‘Sendong’, tuition assistance may be sought, of which validation and short listing will be done by the Office of Student Affairs using the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s card as proof.

“We are increasing because every year, there’s across the board increases that apply to everyone like in faculty and the merit increase system, which is implemented by the University intended for those deserving faculty and staff through incentives,” Gaite said. “We are increasing (tuition fees); at the same time we are giving assistance to Sendong victims.”