The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) raised serious concerns over reports that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) would issue a 'blanket denial' on all pending tuition increase petitions from private colleges and universities. The group warned that such a prohibition could harm the students it aims to protect. They urged CHED to adopt a case-by-case approach.
In a statement, COCOPEA said, 'A blanket hike prohibition can end up hurting the very students it aims to protect.' They warned that it would limit private higher education institutions' (PHEIs) flexibility amid rising costs, potentially causing faculty layoffs, program disruptions, quality declines, or school closures.
The group noted that 70 percent of tuition adjustment proceeds go automatically to personnel salaries and benefits, as required by CHED regulations. 'Policy must still be fair and workable… well-meaning government action must be carefully designed so it does not create new problems for PHEIs and students in the long term,' they added.
COCOPEA highlighted constitutional complementarity between public and private providers, arguing that a blanket denial unfairly burdens PHEIs while public HEIs receive higher government allocations. Meanwhile, youth group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) urged CHED to address student issues in state universities, including power interruptions at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
