THE Commission on Higher Education (Ched)-Davao clarified on June 11 that universities and colleges that applied for increase in tuition and other school fees are already "safe" to implement their new rates as long as the increase is within the inflation rate of Davao Region.
"Katong lang mga nag-increase (For those who implemented increase) beyond sa inflation rate, ako, I would recommend that we would have to wait for the official approval," said Ched-Davao Education Supervisor II Christopher Pio Pulido.
He also said that their application requires further evaluation.
From the 34 colleges and universities in Davao Region that applied for tuition or other school fees increase, Pulido noted that there were five who went beyond the regional inflation rate.
But Pulido said he cannot yet divulge these schools so as not to preempt their application.
He clarified, however, that the significance of the Ched Central Office's approval is that it's the "protocol." He said the schools need to implement the increase even if the official approval of the central office is not yet released.
"Remember, nagsugod na ang klase. Dili man sala sa schools kay nag-enrol na gud sila (Classes already started so the schools can't be blamed)," he said, adding the new rates they are applying for have an effect in the schools' system.
"How will they go about na kung dili nila ipatuman ang increase and then later on i-approve sa Ched. Ang isa ka possibility ana is magreklamo ang parents ngano nag-increase in the middle of the sem? (How will they go about the operations if they won't have an increase but Ched would later approve it. Parents might complain increasing in the middle of the semester)," he said.
He said, though, that if there are schools that would be denied by the central office, which he added is very remote, these schools will anyway be advised to return the money.
"Anyway down payment pa man na sila, kung naa may (It's just down payment, if there are) adjustments later whether approval or otherwise, they (schools) can make the final adjustment later on," he said.
He also said that the approval of the application sometimes would reach their office by the middle of June, but it reached their office in August last year.