Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) students stood firm against the proposed tuition hike in a gathering on January 23. Students raised placards bearing calls against the increase during a meeting called by the Office of the Vice President for Higher Education regarding the proposal.

The said meeting was supposedly held to gather opinions, questions, and appeals on local university issues, including the loss of important campus spaces and the proposed 6% Tuition and Other Fee Increase (TOFI).

League of Filipino Students (LFS)-Katipunan members joined the protest. According to the group, the forum’s supposed intent to directly address students’ concerns and questions was fake.

“The urgent issues raised in the discussion were only met with excuses and shallow explanations,” LFS-Katipunan said, adding that ADMU officials failed to present any concrete steps to address the issues raised by students.

The proposed 6% TOFI topped these issues. According to LFS-Katipunan, the tuition hike reflects the commercialization of education, which has made schooling inaccessible to the people. “The neoliberal system commodifies students who become slaves of big corporations and the government,” the group said.

The group rejected the justification that the tuition hike aimed to improve and expand campus buildings and infrastructure. “Behind this, the administration ignores the students’ real demands, such as the rehabilitation of online portal AISIS (Ateneo Integrated Student Information System) and affordable campus food,” said LFS-Katipunan.

Together with other progressive campus formations and parties, the group urged fellow students to stand against the proposed tuition hike and defend their democratic rights. “The Ateneo de Manila University community, especially its students, must unite and continue to voice out the issues we face,” it declared.