My Stand Re: UP PE Lab and Insurance Fee and Athletics Fee Increase
By Kristian Jacob Abad Lora
BS Computer Science I
UPV Cebu College
Disclaimer: This is my stand and does not reflect the views/opinions/stand of my organizations, especially NKE and KABATAAN Partylist. This statement is for submission as the Administration is consulting us, the students, regarding the proposed fees.
After the rush implementation of 300% Tuition and Other Fee Increase (TOFI) last December 15, 2006 and the impositions of exorbitant fees, we, the tagged “Iskolars ng Bayan”, are about to carry an additional burden again effective next semester which is, the proposed UP PE P250 or P100 Lab and Insurance Fee and the Athletics Fee Increase from P55 to P100. However, my stand is to oppose such proposal for the following basic grounds.
DON’T PASS THE CONSEQUENCE OF A GRAND CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION TO THE STUDENTS
One reason sated in the proposal disseminated by UPV Chancellor Minda Formacion is that much has been spent during the UP Centennial Celebration last year that it has caused much deficit to the University. However, this consequence of spending lavishly for the said celebration should NOT be passed onto us, the students since it was not us, who insisted to have such grand celebration but the Roman Administration, itself.
The UP Administration should serve as a model on how to budget its funds given that the government has allocated only less amount of budget to the University. However, the Administration went on spending much for the centennial celebration, not considering the consequence(s) of this. With this, I am very disappointed. The Administration should have observed austerity measures such that what has been spent for the grand celebration could have been reserved for academic facilities like the laboratories, specifically in PE courses.
On the other hand, I believe that what the Roman Administration was trying to do for the centennial celebration was to satisfy it constituents; but for the information of the Administration, what would satisfy us is much accessible quality education, that is, less payment for education or nothing at all.
TOFI, TAMA NA, SOBRA NA! GUBYERNO, NASAN KA?
Another reason, which is the main reason, written in the proposal is that the two fees will be utilized to purchase and maintain PE facilities since “the recent policy of not charging PE has affected the quality of teaching”. A part of it will also go to the insurance of the students as the Administration is using the recently uninsured injured UP Cebu PE student as a proof. With regards to lack of facilities affecting the quality of teaching, we concede to that. However, blaming the policy of not charging PE fee to the lack of facilities and to UP PE students not being insured is NOT acceptable.
Where is the 300% TOFI that has been implemented three years ago? Should it not be used for the development of the University? Should it not be used such that we would no longer pay for another exorbitant fee? Yet, we could not see major developments in UP Cebu especially in its academic facilities. Furthermore, we are still to pay for our insurance and for other exorbitant fees.
The Philippine Constitution stipulates that the “the state shall promote and protect every Filipino’s right to education at all levels”. Thus, it is a must for the government to provide facilities and insurance to the students studying in its educational institutions. Nonetheless, the Arroyo Administration has not been fulfilling this obligation; instead, it is abandoning its educational institutions especially when it comes to monetary resources. It is NO longer putting education as its first priority which is unconstitutional.
ABIDING BY THE IMPOSITION OF EXORBITANT FEES MEANS TOLERATING THE GOVERNMENT ABANDONING ITS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Imposing PE Lab Fee and Ahtletics Fee Increase and other exorbitant fees would implicitly tell the government that it is alright for us that UP and other state colleges and universities will be abandoned by the government. The imposition of such fees is just a band-aid solution and will NOT solve the government’s inefficiency to manage its funds appropriately which compromises its basic social services like education. What needs to be done is for the students, the teachers and the administrative staff of UP and other state college and universities to unite in fighting for higher state subsidy for education.
To sum it up, this University is a government institution and is owned by the people [the government] and so, NO ONE, even the Roman and the Arroyo Administration, has the right to tell us not to enroll in this University if we cannot afford it. Our parents and the Filipino people have done their part in maintaining this institution by paying taxes, responsibly and it’s already the government’s part to manage the taxes collected, responsibly and use it to render accessible basic social services like education, especially, the Department of Education has been saying, “Edukasyon ang solusyon.”
NO TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LABORATORY FEES FOR P.E. COURSES!
SCRAP EXORBITANT FEES!
ROLLBACK TUITION NOW!
STOP COMMERCIALIZATION OF EDUCATION!
UPHOLD THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION!
U.P. FIGHT FOR GREATER STATE SUBSIDY!
Random Thoughts 