Student Councils from the University of the East Caloocan and Manila campuses criticized UE President Ester Garcia for saying that the cancellation of tuition hike was the decision of the university and not a result of the pleas of the student bodies.

UE Manila University Student Council President Justine Jae Calatong said the tuition hike cancellation was made possible through the efforts of the student body.

“I believe that the tuition hike was cancelled due to the collective action of all students and student leaders who have been fighting against it. All of their actions and our actions have not been in vain. Everyone has been a part of this fight,” Calatong said.

“If President Ester would claim that the councils were not the reason why there was no tuition hike this year, then she just showed they had their own interests in mind, not the students’ interests,” she added.

UE-Caloocan Central Student Council President Saida Manap claimed that the decision of the administration not to impose increase was due to the clamor of its students.

“There was no tuition hike to cancel because it was through the collective effort of the students that such increase was prevented. The administration’s consensus was the consequence of the students’ outrage,” Manap said.

“To say that the management reached such a decision without considering the stand of the students is to discredit them and deny the fact that they can no longer be unheard,” she added.

Earlier, UE President Ester Garcia said the decision to not hike tuition and other fees was already decided before Manila and Caloocan student councils filed their respective appeals.