Baguio
Students Win Fight vs P24,000 Fee
Student power produced
results in Baguio last week then Nursing and midwifery students succeeded
in reducing “affiliation fees” by several thousands of pesos.
BY
ABI TAGUBA BENGWAYAN
Northen Dispatch
Reposted by Bulatlat
BAGUIO
CITY - In a time of tuition
increases nationwide, nursing and midwifery students of the Baguio Central
University (BCU) had a 71 percent reduction in fees due to their concerted
efforts.
Students will pay only P6,732
($123.08, based on an exchange rate of P54.695 per US dollar) and P200.50
($3.66) for tuition and registration fees, respectively, instead of the
affiliation fee originally pegged at P24,232.50 ($443.05).
Refunds will now be sought for
students who have already paid the original amount.
The affiliation fee covers 24 days of
affiliation duty in hospitals. The amount was stipulated in a “business
contract” BCU College of Nursing and Midwifery Dean Jeanette Bongalos had
forged with the Golden Bay Hotel in Manila through a certain Liza Vasquez.
In a dialogue with Commission on
Higher Education (CHED)-Cordillera Director Magdalena Jasmin, students
were informed that the affiliation fee should only cover tuition and
registration, unlike the original fee which included transportation,
lodging, and meals. Bongalos, including other college deans, were present
at the dialogue.
Jasmin was also surprised why the
students were made to complete their affiliation duty in Manila when they
can have it in Baguio. She added that other courses can be completed in
Baguio.
Requirement to stay at hotel
Last February 7, some students were
not allowed to have their affiliation duty because they did not stay at
the Golden Bay Hotel.
In a statement, the Samahan ng mga
Mag-aaral ng Narsing at Midwifery (SMNM, or Association of Students of
Nursing and Midwifery) and the Democratic Action Party for the Youth
(DAP-AY) said that there is no legal basis for the school administration
to require them to stay at the said hotel. The groups pointed out that
they have the right to explore other options to avoid such expenses while
having their affiliation duty.
This was also reiterated by City
Councilor Jose Molintas who supported the students through a resolution
“calling for the adoption of a uniform policy or guidelines regarding the
school campus to protect the public and to avoid unnecessary expenses on
the part of the parents and students.” Since last week, nursing and
midwifery students through the SMNM and the DAP-AY have brought their
concerns to the City Council.
Students from other universities like
UP Baguio, Easter College, Inc. and University of the Cordilleras also
supported the BCU students.
Harassment
Protesting
students were reportedly harassed by the BCU administration. BCU President
Margarita Fernandez even wrote the CHED last February 5 asking that SMNM
Governor Chester Tuazon be sanctioned for leading rallies in school while
a scholar of the Study Now Pay Later Plan (SNPLP) under CHED.
“Pati scholarship ko, gustong tanggalin (Even my scholarship was
targeted to be removed),” remarked Tuazon, who is in his third year as a
Nursing student. Other students were threatened of being kicked out, he
said.
Jasmin however replied to Fernandez
last February 17 that the latter’s claim that Tuazon participated in any
“subversive activity” was not substantiated. “Starting peaceful
assemblies, rallies and demonstrations at school premises for lawful
purposes is not a subversive activity under the Grounds for Termination of
the Scholarship/Study Grants of the Rules and Regulations Implementing the
Various Programs”, Jasmin’s letter read.
With impending tuition hikes in other
colleges and universities, SMNM and DAP-AY leaders called on their fellow
students to unite and “stand solidly” against excessive and unjust fees.
Nordis/Bulatlat
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