SENATOR Imee Marcos urged her colleagues to conduct an investigation on the reported tuition increase among Metro Manila’s top universities and colleges despite the difficult times brought about by the Covid19 pandemic.

Marcos made the appeal after receiving complaints from concerned parents and students about the issue concerning educational expenses which she said, should not be applicable at this time.

The senator explained learning from home through online classes and modular lessons should be less costly than face-to-face learning.

“The inclusion of many miscellaneous fees for school facilities and services that will no longer be used is unnecessary and unconscionable,” Marcos stressed.

Marcos filed Senate Resolution 480 as an investigation on the matter is in order, if the Commission on Higher Education cannot settle the controversy before classes resume in late August.

The senator added she is receiving reports that schools in the university belt are still charging various miscellaneous fees for the use of classroom-based internet, electricity, laboratories, libraries, and medical and dental clinics.

Marcos further said it is unlikely that most students who are below 21-years old would avail of school facilities, since guidelines set in early June by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) have directed them to remain indoors during all community quarantine levels.

“Schools should not be playing blind and profiting on what they would no longer provide. Parents and students should definitely be paying less,” Marcos said.