ILOILO City – The University of San Agustin has clarified that it is not implementing any tuition fee increase for Academic Year 2025–2026.
No tuition adjustments have been approved nor is there any pending application with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Region 6, it stressed.
The University of San Agustin emphasized that its current tuition rates remain unchanged, and reiterated its commitment to accessible and quality education.
It urged the public to rely on its official website (https://usa.edu.ph) for verified announcements concerning policies and fees.
The school issued the clarification as it worries of a possible confusion that a recent article by this paper could stir.
The article was titled “Tuition Tightrope: 21 Private Higher Education Institutions in WV Increase Fees”. CHED, in the article, did not identify schools but the University of San Agustin pointed out that the news included a photo featuring a portion of its façade and gate.
The university described the inclusion as “misleading,” stating it may have caused the public to mistakenly assume it was among the 21 private schools approved by CHED to raise tuition.
“The University of San Agustin will NOT implement any tuition fee increase for academic year 2025–2026,” the institution said in an official statement released on July 2, 2025.
Citing rising operational costs driven by inflation, CHED has approved tuition and other school fee increases for 21 private higher education institutions in Western Visayas for Academic Year 2025–2026. The hikes are capped at 6.6%, the region’s inflation rate.
CHED Region 6 director Dr. Raul Alvarez Jr. described regulating school fees as “one tricky thing.”
“Kon sobrahan mo ka dako, mawiit ang mga ginikanan. Kon indi ka mag-tuition fee increase, mapatay ang eskwelahan,” he told Panay News.
Alvarez said the commission exercised due diligence by requiring extensive consultations and complete documentation before granting approval.
“We ensure that increases are fair, equitable, and justifiable, primarily based on the regional inflation rate. Without reasonable adjustments, schools may not survive, and faculty retention becomes a problem,” Alvarez said.
The tuition adjustments underwent rigorous scrutiny, including validation of stakeholder consultations involving parents, faculty, students, and school personnel, he stressed.
“Everybody will see it as evil, nga if masaka ang tuition, ang kabataan indi ka eskwela. Ang trabaho sang CHED is to ensure that there is equitable, fair and transparent increase,” added Alvarez.
CHED-6 also emphasized that its role in these consultations was strictly as an observer to ensure transparency and compliance with guidelines.
The Commission also reiterated the mandatory allocation of the increased fees:
* 70% for salaries and benefits of teaching and non-teaching staff
* 20% for facility upgrades and infrastructure
* 10% at the school’s discretion
“The 70% faculty allocation must be detailed in a certificate of intended compliance. After implementation, schools are required to submit utilization reports to confirm they followed their financial plan,” said Alvarez.
CHED acknowledged the public’s sensitivity to tuition hikes, especially among parents struggling financially. However, Alvarez stressed that schools, too, are coping with inflation.
“Without these adjustments, many schools might shut down or lose faculty to better-paying jobs. It’s a balancing act between affordability for students and sustainability for institutions,” he explained./PN
