Archives for April 2018

Dr. Raul F. Muyong, ISAT U President, shares the university’s implementation of the Free Tuition 2017 and his thoughts on  free higher education during the National Information Caravan for RA 10931 at the Iloilo Convention Center on April 11, 2018 .

The University implemented free tuition for Academic Year 2017-2018 pursuant to Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2017-1 dated April 20, 2017. The aforementioned issuance detailed the guidelines on the 2017 Free Tuition Policy or the “Free Tuition 2017.”

In compliance with the conditional implementation ordered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, ISAT U gave preference to qualified and deserving students and subjected them to fair and equitable admission and academic requirements. Pres. Duterte emphasized the need to safeguard the proper implementation of the provision of the free tuition fee. He also underscored to prioritize financially disadvantage but academically able students.

After complying with the guidelines, ISAT U was reimbursed with Php 27, 481, 881.67 for the tuition fee of 9, 571 students for the first semester, Academic Year 2017-2018. For the second semester, the University received  Php25, 083, 267.89 as reimbursement for 8,633 students.

The amount is part of the Php 8 billion appropriated for the Higher Education Support Fund. Stated in the guidelines of the 2017 Free Tuition Policy, the amount appropriated shall be used for the priority programs and projects of the State Universities and Colleges.

According to Dr. Raul F. Muyong, ISAT U President, the reimbursed amount will be subjected to budget deliberations and will be appropriated for the improvement of students’ services.

Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera, CHEd Officer-in Charge, leads the panelists in the open forum. With De Vera are Dr. Cesar H. Medina, Regional Director, CHEd RO 6; Ms. Marife Lou I. Bacate and Atty. Carmelita Yadao-Sison, CHEd OIC Executive Director IV.

Students, faculty and staff of ISAT U campuses joined the nationwide information caravan for Republic Act 10931 (RA 10931) or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act at the Iloilo Convention Center on April 11, 2018.

The information caravan was organized by the Commission on Higher Education and the United Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) to orient higher education institutions of Region VI on the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of RA 10931.

Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III, CHEd Officer -in-Charge and Atty. Carmelita Yadao-Sison, CHEd OIC Executive Director IV, spearheaded the information campaign.  Among the important matters discussed were the scope of the free tuition fees, retention and admission policies, return service system (RTS) and the tertiary education subsidy (TES) which was also expanded to private colleges and universities..

The ISAT U delegates.

Referring to the admission and retention policies,  Dr. De Vera reminded all state colleges and universities (SUCs) to level up.  Fair and equitable admission and academic requirements should be imposed.

He also clarified that RTS should depend on the needs of the SUCs and suggested to utilize the school’s extension services in conducting the affirmative action programs.. The commissioner, likewise, called on the students to be serious in their studies.

Commissioner De Vera reiterated his statement on universal free higher education during his listening visit in ISAT U campuses last August 2017, “wala pang maunlad (na bansa) sa buong mundo ang sumubok nito . . .tayo pa lamang.”

Dr. Raul F. Muyong

The commissioner also urged all stakeholders, implementers and beneficiaries to work hand in hand for the success of the program, “ magtagumpay tayo kung tayo ay magtulungan, “ he said.

The implementation of the 8-billion pesos Free Tuition Policy 2017 which was undertaken prior to the approval of RA 10931 was also reviewed. Ms. Marife Lou I. Bacate, UniFAST Technical Assistant for Macro-Human Resource Development, pointed out that there were 888, 799 recipients of Free Tuition Policy 2017 from 112 SUCs and 78 local universities and colleges (LUCs) for Academic Year 2017-2018.

Given the opportunity to report on the status of billing for the program, Dr. Raul F. Muyong shared that ISAT U was the first SUC in Western Visayas that complied with the requirements and received the reimbursements for the second semester in the amount of  25 million pesos.