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Articles330,430,and431oftheUniversitySystemCode

LastMay21,theReviewCommitteeoftheBoardofRegentscalledfortheUniversity

StudentCouncilChairpersonsofDiliman,LosBanos,andManilatodiscusspossible

courses of action and alternatives for specific provisions relating to the tuition

system in the University Code. The following points were discussed:

Art.330

Nopersonwhohasnotdulymatriculatedmaybeadmittedtotheclasses.In

exceptionalcases,theUniversityRegistrarmay,ontherecommendationofthe

DeanorDirectorconcerned,authorizetheadmissionofavisitortoaclassfor

notmorethanfive(5)sessions.

Art.430

Students who are indebted to the Student Loan and Short-Term Cash Loan

Funds, their sureties and parents or guardians shall be notified that such

indebtednessmustbepaidasfollows:

StudentLoan-shouldbepaidatonetimeorinfourinstallmentsonemonth

beforethefinalexamination.

ShortTermCashLoan-ispayablewithinninety(90)days.After ninety (90)

days,aservicechargeshallbecollectedpermonth.Theperiodofpaymentshall

beextendabletoanothersixty(60)days.Ifaftertheextensiontheloanhasnot

beenfullypaid,theco-debtorshallpaytheprincipal,theinterestandservice

charge.

Art.431

Ifastudentfailstosettleaccountin fullonemonthbeforethefinalsemestral

examinations,thefacultymembershalleitherbarthedelinquentstudentfrom

takingtheexaminationsor,ifthestudentisallowedtotaketheexaminations,

withholdthegrades.Iftheaccountisnotsettledbytheopeningofthefollowing

semester,thestudentmaynotbeallowedtoenroll.

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Duringthecourseofthediscussion,anumberofalternativeswereraised.Thevery

same alternatives will be discussed to furthermanifest the unified stand of the

UniversityStudentCouncilandtheCollegeCouncilsofUPDiliman,UPLosBaos,

andUPManila.

Article330

According toSection9 ofRA9500 onDemocraticAccess,Thenationaluniversity

shalltakeaffirmativestepswhichmaytaketheformofanalternativeandequitable

admissionsprocesstoenhancetheaccessofdisadvantagedstudentsNostudentshall

bedeniedadmissiontothenationaluniversitybyreasonsolelyof...economicstatus...

Article330evidentlyviolatestheprinciplestatedbyimposingapolicythatdenies

access to deserving students to a UP Education due to financial incapacity. The

government ismandated to ensure accessible and indiscriminate education to all

students,particularlytotheUniversityofthePhilippines,beinganationaluniversity

asstatedintheUPCharter.TakingtherecentcaseofKristelTejadainUPManilaas

an example, the existence of such policy resulted in complete denial ofaccess to

educationconcretizedbytheForcedLeaveofAbsence(FLOA).Thus,Article330,a

policy that clearly violates the right of students to accessible education to the

nationaluniversity,mustberepealedfromtheUPSystemCode.

CoverageandInterestRateoftheStudentLoanBoard

Inthecurrentsystem,astudentmayloanacertainpercentageofhis/hertuitionfee

basedonyear level. It ranges from70% for freshmenand sophomores, 80% for

juniors and seniors to 85% for graduate students. With 6% annual interest, the

student tuition loanmustbepaidin fullor installmentone (1)month before the

finalsweekofthatsemester.Werecognizetheneedforarevisionwhenitcomesto

thepresentsituationoftheloansystemforstudents.Itistruethatcomparingthe

currentloanopportunitieswhichcouldtakecareof70%to85%ofthetotaltuition

feesofstudents,itisstillbettertointroducea systemwhereintheycouldloanfor

100%of their total tuition. This is togivemore flexibility tothestudentbody on

choosingthebesttimetopayforthetuitionfees.Inaddition,theinterestrate,which

accountsfor6%oftheloanperannum,couldbeabigburdenforthemin thelong

run.Therefore,itisbettertoremovetheinterestliabilityofstudentswhochooseto

loan.Thiswouldremovetheburdenofpayingmoreinthefuture.Therefore,itis

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urgent thatweexpand the coverage of the loan system to100%and remove the

interestratesthatstudentsneedtopay.

DeadlineofLoanPayments

In its current form, the university allows the student to avail a loan, given that

he/sheisboundtoclearbeforethesucceedingsemesterstarts.Whenastudentfails

todoso,thisarticlegivesthefacultytheauthoritytobarthestudentfromtaking

examinations,withholdthegradesofthestudent,thereforemakinghimineligibleto

enrollforthenextsemester.Also,studentswhoaren'tabletopaytheirloanfrom

theprevioussemesterarenotallowedtopre-enlistsubjectsforthenextsemester.

ThisclearlyviolatesthemandateoftheUniversity,asaforementionedintheguiding

principlesoftheUPCharter,RA9500,SEC.9-DemocraticAccess.Giventhis,wefind

itimportanttogiveanampletimeforstudentstobeabletopayfortheloanwithout

havingtosufferbeingrejectedfromtheenlistmentprocess.Itisjustfairtoconsider

that studentsmay find itdifficult topay the loan inone semester due tovarious

economicfactors.Withthis,weurgetheadministrationtoextendthedeadlinegiven

tostudentswholoanfromonesemestertooneacademicyear.Also,wewouldlike

the university tobeable to implement a Study Now,Pay LaterScheme for those

studentswhowishtojustpaytheirtuitiononcethey'reabletoearnthemoneytodo

so.

OurStruggleRemains

Whileweacceptthefactthattheserevisionsarebetterthanwhatwecurrentlyhave,

westilldemand fortheUPAdministrationandthePhilippineGovernmenttoheed

ourcallsforabettereducationsystem.Wewon'tallowthesepolicychangestostop

ourcallforFullStateSubsidy,BetterManagementofSUCFunds,andTransparency

andAccountabilityintheBudgetProcess.

Forhowmanyyears,wehaverepeatedlycalledforthegovernmenttocompletely

subsidizetheBudgetProposalofUP.AlthoughtheUPbudgethasincreasedrecently,

it is still far from what the university truly needs in order to provide quality

educationtoitsstudents.InSection2oftheDeclarationofPolicyinthe2008UP

Charter, it is stated, The University of the Philippines is hereby declared as the

nationaluniversity.TheStateshallpromote,foster,nurtureandprotecttherightofall

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citizenstoaccessiblequalityeducation.Towardthisend,itisthepolicyoftheStateto

strengthentheUniversityofthePhilippinesasthenationaluniversity.Therefore,we

stronglyassertourcallforfullstatesubsidytoUPEducation.

Whiletheresponsibility ofthegovernmentto give a fullsubsidy toUP is amust,

theres also a mutual responsibility on the part of the university to provide

platforms for checks and balanceswhen it comes to the internal allotment of its

funds.In linewith thisprinciple,wewouldliketostresstheimportanceofhaving

transparency and accountability when it comes to data pertaining to financial

transactionsundertakenbyUP.Currently, theresnospecificpolicyin allUPunits

when it comes to students access to these information for research and

investigativepurposes.Thisisacompleteviolationtotheprinciplesoftransparency

andaccountabilitythatourcouncilswouldliketoforward.Also,itismentionedin

Sec. 3 (h) of the UP Charter of 2008, The University shall provide democratic

governanceintheuniversitybasedoncollegiality, representation,accountability,and

activeparticipationofitsconstituents.Thispolicymustnotbesostrictsoastogive

anunbalancedpowerbetweenthestudentbodyandtheholdersoftheinformation.

Inthismanner,studentparticipationintheinternalbudgetingprocessofUPwould

be maximized. Also, transparency and accountability on the part of the

administrationwouldbefurtherensured.Therefore,weurgetheadministrationof

all SUC's to create policies governing the release of data to students to ensure

transparencyandaccountability.

ItisclearthatrevisingArticles330,430,and431arenotenoughtoanswerourcalls

forabetterUPEducation.Thegovernmentandtheuniversityadministrationcan

expect us students to remain vigilant andactive in continuously campaigning for

thesecausestocomeintofruition.

Note:TheUniversityStudentCouncilandCollegeCouncilsofUPDiliman,UPLos

Baos,andUPManilaalsodemandsfulldisclosureandactiveconsultationfromthe

reviewcommitteethroughoutthewholedeliberationprocessofArticles330,430,and

431.

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Signedby:

UPDUniversityStudentCouncil

UPDLeagueofCollegeCouncils

ArchitectureStudentCouncil

AsianInstituteofTourismStudent

Council

BusinessAdministrationCouncil

EngineeringStudentCouncil

CollegeofArtsandLettersStudent

Council

CollegeofEducationStudent

CouncilCollegeofFineArtsStudentCouncil

CollegeofHomeEconomicsStudent

Council

CollegeofHumanKineticsStudent

Council

CollegeofMassCommunication

StudentCouncil

CollegeofMusicStudentCouncil

CollegeofScienceStudentCouncil

CollegeofSocialSciencesand

PhilosophyStudentCouncil

CollegeofSocialWorkand

CommunityDevelopmentStudent

Council

LawStudentGovernment

NationalCollegeofPublic

AdministrationandGovernanceStudentGovernment

SchoolofEconomicsStudent

Council

SchoolofLibraryandInformation

StudiesStudentCouncil

SchoolofStatisticsStudentCouncil

UPLBUniversityStudentCouncil

UPLBCollegeStudentCouncils

CollegeofAgricultureStudent

Council

CollegeofArtsandSciences

StudentCouncil

CollegeofDevelopment

CommunicationStudentCouncil

CollegeofEconomicsand

ManagementStudentCouncil

CollegeofEngineeringandAgro-industrialTechnologyStudent

Council

CollegeofForestryandNatural

ResourcesStudentCouncil

CollegeofHumanEcologyStudent

Council

CollegeofVeterinaryMedicine

StudentCouncil

UPMUniversityStudentCouncil

UniversityofthePhilippines

PharmaceuticalAssociation

UPMCollegeStudentCouncils

CollegeofAlliedMedical

ProfessionsStudentCouncil

CollegeofArtsandSciences

StudentCouncilCollegeofDentistryStudentCouncil

CollegeofMedicineStudentCouncil

CollegeofNursingStudentCouncil

CollegeofPublicHealthStudent

Council