KABATAAN Partylist kicked off the first week of its electoral campaign with a nationwide #AyokongMagmahal petition campaign and mobile photo booth drive against tuition and fee increases, and the overall inaccessibility of education.

This initiative is in partnership with the National Union of Students of the Philippines and various student councils and supporters across the country.

In coordination with NUSP, the group highlighted the impending proposals for tuition and other fee increases at various schools, including, but not limited to:

Metro Manila

Adamson University — 5%

Ateneo de Manila University — 6%

Centro Escolar University – Makati — 3%

Colegio de San Juan de Letran — 8%

De La Salle University – Manila — 4.4%

De La Salle Araneta University — 6%

National Teacher’s College — 3.07%

Philippine Women’s University — 4-5%

St. Paul University Quezon City — 10%

University of the East — 5%

Central Luzon

Columban College, Inc. — 3.5%

Holy Angel University — 3-5%

Bicol

Ateneo de Naga University — 4%

Western Visayas

Central Philippine University — 10-20%

University of St. La Salle — 5%

Mindanao

Ateneo de Zamboanga University — 4.5%

Liceo de Cagayan University — 3-4.9%

Xavier University — 4.5%

Kabataan, with NUSP, is actively monitoring developments to consolidate nationwide trends.

“We call on student councils to immediately report any updates to our office. Annually, TOFI applications are often approved by CHED without adequate scrutiny or consideration for students’ needs,” the group stated.

Meanwhile, amid another wave of budget cuts for fiscal year 2025, State Universities and Colleges are reportedly excluding more students from receiving free tuition or are charging additional fees.

The group is rallying support from students in both private and public schools to advocate for an education that is genuinely free of high quality, and accessible.