Securing the Filipino Youth's Future - No Tuition Fee Increases in the Philippines

Secretary of Education Jesli Lapus has appealed for a tuition fee increase moratorium. No less than the Archbishop of Manila, Gaudencio Cardinal B. Rosales, has reiterated that call. Many sectors of society have supported the appeal.

The appeals for a tuition fee increase moratorium comes in the face of the worst economic crisis in world history since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Many Filipinos have lost their jobs. OFWs are coming back in droves after losing their employment abroad. The government has embarked on a big spending campaign to stimulate the economy.

There is now a pending bill in Congress filed by Bayan Muna Representatives Teddy Casiño and Satur Ocampo seeking a three-year moratorium on tuition fee increases.

Yet even with these appeals from government, the Roman Catholic Church and various sectors of society, many private schools have manifested their intention to increase their tuition and other fees.

As a Filipino parent who dreads to see the day when the next generation of Filipino parents could no longer send their children to private schools and as a long-time advocate of wide-ranging and sweeping policy and procedural reforms in Philippine education governance, I'm plain tired of just discussing this issue of tuition fees. Time to act.

What government can not, or will not do, WE WILL!

We, the Filipino people are sovereign, and that being so, we now impose a people-powered moratorium on tuition fee increases in the Philippines.

This is a people's revolt, a peaceful one, to address a longstanding problem which threatens the future of millions of young Filipinos and jeopardizes the educational security of the Philippines.

We serve notice to all those in positions of governance in the Philippines starting from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Vice President Noli De Castro, DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus and his subalterns, the CHED Commissioners to heed our call and respect our decision by doing everything in their power so that the tuition fee moratorium we have declared will remain in place and in force for as long as necessary.