University of the East (UE)-Caloocan students led by student councils gathered in the campus open field on the evening of January 24 to denounce the proposed tuition and other fees increase (TOFI) next academic year. They lit candles as they held a short program.

On December 16, 2024, a UE administration memorandum announced its plan to raise tuition for the 2025-2026 academic year. The UE administration is set to have a series of “consultations” with student councils at its campuses in Caloocan and Manila this coming January 27 and 28.

The UE’s Dawn newspaper reported that the protesters called the plan to raise the fees “unjust and inhumane”. In the newspaper’s interview with UE-Caloocan Central Student Council (CSC) President Karylle Macorol, she shared that their “candle serves as a light on the issue, and the students’ dreams they are killing and killed.

Other presidents and officials of student councils also shared their frustration with the UE as they say tuition fees have increased one after the other in recent years but the university’s quality of education is not improving. They also said the high fees forced some students to stop studying altogether.

Macorol called on fellow UE students to join their action on January 27, in time with the “consultation,” to inform the administration of their call “No to TOFI.” He also urged them to wear black clothes that day as a form of solidarity with the protest.

UE-Manila students also took action on January 16 to oppose TOFI. Led by the student council, they staged a silent protest at the main UE-Manila building.

Meanwhile, the UE-Caloocan CSC sent a letter to the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office-National Capital Region to request their presence in the “consultation” for the TOFI. They pushed this to expose the anomalies in the “consultation” similar to those that occurred in the previous year when some UE officials did not attend the activity.

Apart from this, the councils of UE-Caloocan and UE-Manila demanded the UE administration to release the financial statements for the academic year from 2019 to the present. They called for them in accordance with the CHED Memorandum Order No. 03 Series of 2012 guidelines outlining a policy for raising tuition.

UE imposed 6% TOFI for the 2024-2025 academic year and 9.5% TOFI for 2023-2024. CHED authorized this consecutive increase in tuition fees despite widespread opposition from UE students, councils and organizations.

Due to a series of increases, the UE College of Fine Arts and Design Architecture recorded an increase in tuition per unit from ₱1,527-₱1,608.69 (AY. 2022-2023) to ₱1,726-₱2,411 (AY.2023-2024 with 9.5% TOFI) to ₱1,868-₱2,538 (ASY. 2024-2025 with 6% TOFI.) Other fees also increased including laboratory fees, libraries, alumni fees, energy fees, and much more.

Dr. Zosimo Battad serves as president and chief academic officer in UE. The private university is owned by Lucio C. Tan, one of the largest bourgeois-compradors in the country. Like his other businesses, he serves as Chairman of the Board and its CEO.