Manila: Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley Agrupis emphasized on Wednesday that increasing tuition fees in public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) is not timely amid the state of national energy emergency in the Philippines. According to Philippines News Agency, the remark from CHED came amidst a rising number of requests for a tuition fee hike due to escalating operational costs. Chairperson Agrupis acknowledged the financial pressures faced by HEIs but urged them to postpone the increase. "While we recognize the increasing prices and the needs of an HEI, we are pleading that this is not the right time to increase tuition fees," Agrupis stated in a press conference. Despite receiving a considerable volume of requests, Agrupis mentioned that some private HEIs have agreed to pause the proposed hike. CHED is in the process of organizing a meeting with higher education institutions to discuss the matter further. For state universities and colleges (SUCs), a proposal to h armonize tuition fees has already been presented to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Agrupis explained that this presentation is linked to government funding covered by Republic Act 10931, known as the UNIFAST law. The proposal follows a study by SyCip Gorres Velayo and Co. on Normative Tuition and Other School Fees, which will inform policy direction and funding revisions under the Free Higher Education initiative. Agrupis also noted that most HEIs have not fully transitioned to a 100 percent online learning model despite the energy crisis. On April 6, CHED authorized HEIs to implement full online setups in response to rising fuel and energy costs. Approximately 2,000 HEIs have shown readiness and strong internet connectivity for flexible learning. "Only a few have transitioned to 100 percent online. We thank our HEI leaders for adhering to our call and assessing their readiness without compromising quality," Agrupis added. The authorization for online learning remains valid until the end of t he academic year 2025 to 2026, including summer classes.
