So I was looking at my sister’s files and books when she was still a BS Psychology student in UP Diliman Batch 2002 when I came across several Form 5’s. My jaws literally dropped when I saw the amount she paid considering that she was in Bracket A at that time. And here I am paying 27,000 per semester in UP Manila with a degree in BA OrCom. Not that I am boasting or anything, it’s just that I feel like this is really unfair. Some may think that: “So what? You’re in Bracket A. Surely you don’t really care about the tuition fee.” THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. Of course I care! My parents are retired for Christ’s sake! I applied for a bracket lower than I am currently in due to the fact that my parents are old and in the future, they might need financial assistance more than ever. But, unfortunately they didn’t approve.
The bottom line is, I am an Iskolar ng Bayan and I should be able to feel that I am actually under state-subsidy. But, I feel like I’m not at all in that situation. I’m paying PHP27,000 per sem while my sister paid PHP5,000 - 6,000.
It’s just I don’t know, it’s unfair for all Iskolars ng Bayan.
A Call for Greater Subsidy for U.P. : A Statement of the University Council of the University of the Philippines Diliman
The UP Diliman University Council is alarmed over the reduction of state subsidy to the University of the Philippines (UP) and other state universities and colleges. The proposed budget for UP is way below what the University needs.
A low budget has a debilitating effect on UP’s capacity to fulfill its mandate as the national university. The underprivileged students’ access to quality tertiary education will be compromised. The sustained development of academic facilities and programs will also be hampered.
The new UP Charter declares that “the State shall promote, foster, nurture and protect the right of all citizens to accessible quality education. Toward this end, it is the policy of the State to strengthen the University of the Philippines as the national university.”
The UP budget is a measure of the government’s commitment to education and public service. It is necessary that UP is provided sufficient funding so that it can continue to achieve academic excellence. At the same time, it is imperative for the government to ensure the full release of UP budgetary allocations.
The government has the duty to support all the sectors of the educational system. We call for a budget reform that will commit funds to education not on an annual basis but on a long-term basis.
We therefore urge the Aquino administration to give the national university the support it needs and deserves, in the same way that it should give sufficient funding to the other state universities and colleges. We join the students and other sectors in calling for an increase in the UP budget.
U.P. Diliman University Council, 26 November 2010
(Source: upd.edu.ph)
