SENATOR Joel Villanueva pledged to look into the impending closure of the Electronics Engineering Program of the University of the East-Manila.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education on Monday asked the Commission on Higher Education to review and evaluate the petition of the students.

“This is to respectfully refer, for whatever action is deemed appropriate, the petition letter of Mr. Robie Jan M. Esperon, President of the College of Engineering Student Council of the University of the East-Manila, concerning the closure of the Electronics Engineering Department of the University,” Villanueva said in a letter to CHED chief Prospero De Vera III.

UE-Manila ESC together with the ECE students and alumni sought Villanueva’s help, saying that the program that will be closed was “commendable for it has attained and surpassed the National Passing Rate consistently.”

“It is evidently the hardest Engineering board examination here in our country. Given this fact, considerable efforts from the institution shall be made in order to help the ECE department in producing licensed Electronics Engineers and Technicians every year,” the groups said.

“Based on official PRC record, the ECE Department in Manila Campus has a number of passing percentages above the national passing percentage and even produced ECE Board topnotchers,” it added.

In November 2020, the university said it will close the program because of low enrollment and low passing rates in board examinations.

The student groups however questioned the decision for being “flimsy, unfair and unreasonable.”

They argued that the shutdown will bring negative effects to the careers of the ECE alumni as their achievements and credentials from the program “were disregarded by the administration.”