Friday, March 28, 2008 Speak Out: UP tuition hike By Ana Coritha J. Desamparado Student, University of the Philippines
IT’S ironic that in an institution like the University of the Philippines, students pay a tuition fee more or less the same as those paid by students in a private school. UP, the premier university in the country, has implemented tuition and other fees increase (Tofi).
Tuition rose from P200 per unit to P600 per unit, or 300 percent increase in our tuition fee. Greatly affected by this oppressive move are current and upcoming freshmen. One of the reasons for this move is lesser government budget for education.
But with the national broadband network (NBN)-ZTE scandal, we can see where the supposed government subsidy for education goes: the pockets of people who do not need them at all.
This shows that problems are interrelated and that in many issue we are directly or indirectly affected. This also shows that government is passing its obligation to the students, that it is slowly abandoning its responsibility.
We must go back to the basics.
UP is a state university and as such must be funded by government. Tofi is not the solution to the problem of old buildings, outdated equipments and aging classrooms but higher state subsidy. This is being denied to the Iskolars ng Bayan.
It makes me sad knowing there are poor but deserving students who can’t afford to study in government-funded universities like UP.
We should not keep silent on this issue. We can’t just stand still and do nothing because this has greatly affected our lives as students.
Also, I personally support Rodolfo Loizada Jr. He is one of our modern heroes fighting for the truth even if it would cause him his life. I salute people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the benefit of many.
