Costly tuition bars UPCAT passer from enrolling at UP

Passing the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) is not a guarantee for enrollment at UP Diliman if the passer has no money to pay for the tuition. This was what one of the passers in last year's UPCAT discovered upon trying to enroll as freshman for the incoming School Year 2011-2012. Like many other soon-to-be college students, Cherry Holgado attended the freshman orientation program at the University of the Philippines. Holgado is among the less than four thousand students who passed the UPCAT, for which over 60,000 students nationwide take the test annually.
Upon receiving her admission letter, Holgado felt that all her hard work had paid off. "Yung future ko nakikita ko na sana na malinaw. Ito na yung chance ko para matupad yung mga pangarap ko, dahil yung UP talaga dream school ko... kasi sabi nila, pag nagtapos ka na UP, hindi ka mahihirapan maghanap ng trabaho," she told GMA's Joseph Morong. But she said she would not be able to enroll for the coming school year because her parents do not have money for her tuition. Holgado would need over P20,000 for 18 units load for first semester for students planning to take Sociology. Because of UP's socialized tuition program, she would only need P7,628.50. But still, her parents could not afford to pay the amount. "Paano na ito, anak? Makakapag aral ka pa kaya.? Paano tayo kukuha ng seven thousand na yan? Either mamili ka, magaaral ka pa, o ano, doon ka na lang titira sa tiyahin mo tapos mag public university ka na lang?" Holgado quoted her mother as saying. "Siyempre yung pagpipilian niya, wala akong gusto doon dahil gusto ko talagang UP ako magtapos," says Holgado. After Holgado's story came out on GMA News' State of the Nation on Tuesday night, an anonymous person contacted GMA News Online and offered one of the indigent UP passers a full four-year scholarship. Common situation In a separate interview with Joseph Morong, Kabataan party-list representative Raymond Palatino said Hodalgo's case is so common at UP Diliman because 25 percent of those who passed the UPCAT last year may not be able to enroll in the coming semester. Citing documents from the Office of the University Registrar at UP Diliman, he said 1,011 of the 3,826 UPCAT passers did not confirm their slots in the university. A total of 303 who confirmed did not enroll. "Paano kung umaasa yung bata dahil iskolar ng bayan siya, akala niya may libreng edukasyon sa UP tapos wala na palang option kundi magtrabaho na lamang. sayang naman diba, ang oportunidad na ito?" Palatino said. Some of the 1,011 passers who chose not to enroll at UP received scholarships from other universities. Forty-one were granted scholarships at the Ateneo de Manila University, nine at De La Salle University, and one at the University of Sto. Tomas. "Dapat i-review ng UP yung kanyang scholarship program. At Hindi lang sa UP, kailangang i-review ng buong bansa, ng pamahalaan ang ating scholarship fund. Ang scholarship fund ng CHED, 5,000 pesos a semester. Ang scholarship fund namin sa Congress is 10,000 pesos per student per year. Paano ka naman magsu-survive bilang estudiyante? Kapag nagpatuloy ang trend na ito, ang UP hindi na lang siya magiging pamantasan ng mga mahihirap, matatalino. Pamantasan na lang ito ng mga mayayaman na matalino," said Palatino. In 2007, UP imposed a strongly opposed 300 percent tuition increase. Meanwhile, Hodalgo still remains hopeful that she will still be able to enroll. "Pinaghirapan ko to eh. Parang mula elementary hanggang high school, lagi akong na sa top. Pinaghahandaan ko yung future na ito. Nandito na eh, bakit pakakawalan ko pa? Nakapasa na ako, bakit hindi pa ako dito mag-aaral? Wala na sanang problema kung may pambayad lang," she said. — LBG/KBK, GMA News