Revocation of PLM’s exception, a distraction; CHED’s debts are the issue - Leyco

The Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) resolution is just a distraction from the real issue which is their unpaid reimbursement in tuition fees from the last academic year, University President Emmanuel Leyco claimed, Aug. 31.

In an interview with The Big Story on One News PH last night, Leyco addressed the concerns of Manila Councilors. He also explained the uniqueness of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) and why compliance with CHED En Banc’s (CEB) resolution, an order, is “not reconcilable” and in violation of the University Charter, which is a national law. 

“So, PLM which CHED wants to consider to treat as a LUC (Local University and College) is actually misplaced. We are not an LUC. We are a chartered University. [And] I think that is [where] the confusion [comes from],” the University President said.

RELATED: Manila councilors express concerns; PLM admin explains its “special legal stature” over CHED’s resolution

In the latter part of the interview, Regina Lay, The Big Story presenter, read a response from Leyco stating, “It [the CHED’s Resolution] seems that this is a distraction from the real issue.” 

Lay further read the University President’s response that “CHED owes PLM Php 134 million in unpaid tuition from the past school year.”

Leyco affirmed this claim by confirming the figures of the debt.

The University President further explains how PLM is only being paid Php 293.00 per credit and that they waited for the five-year moratorium to lapse to submit a new schedule of tuition fee rates in January.

“Last January, we submitted [new tuition fee rates], based on our computation that we must charge Php 1,200 per unit to make PLM feasible. So instead of addressing that issue, here comes a memo saying that PLM is noncompliant,” he argued. 

On the other hand, when asked how was the flow of subsidies before the issue, the University President answered that it had no problem before. 

Leyco added that in 2006, the commission already recognized that PLM is organized by a national law in excluding it from the rules that govern the LUCs, which is now being revoked through CEB Resolution No. 285-2023.

With the revocation of the exemption, Leyco asserted “The law still exists. The law was never amended. The law was never repealed. So, what changed? Just like everybody we are so confused.”

When asked if he had an idea what changed, Leyco said, “I don’t know other than, hey, you [owe] us Php 134 million and we are poised to make another bill for Php 340 million.” 

Leyco also divulged that they are seeking an audience with CHED Chairperson J. Prospero E. de Vera III.

To clarify the estimation of how much PLM will lose, Leyco said in the interview that they will submit “something like Php 340 million” to reimburse the tuition fees of 16,000 students in two weeks after the late registration based on their computation.

On top of the Php 134 million that CHED owes PLM, the University President stated, “So next month, ang CHED o ang UniFAST, will owe PLM something like half a billion pesos.”

Before the interview concluded, Regina Lay, The Big Story presenter asked, “If you are right that this is a distraction from the real issue of the unpaid balance. If you are right. How far are you willing to go to settle the issue? If they tell you to resign just for the sake of, you know, getting this over done with, would you?”

“What is at stake here is the autonomy of the university and the recognition that PLM was organized under a law. If we follow LUCs, the ordinances, it is not exactly reconcilable. We will be violating RA 4196 if we follow the ordinance or what CHED was saying,” Leyco answered. 

Before the interview, the Supreme Student Council reported earlier from their meeting with Leyco, that he would resign if CHED paid its debts to PLM. 

“He added that if CHED pays their debts to PLM, he will resign as PLM President,” the council reported while pertaining to Leyco. 

“Hindi ako kapit-tuko sa posisyon,” the University President said according to the updates.

ALSO READ: If CHED pays its debt to PLM, Leyco will resign - SSC updates

At the end of the segment, when asked if the University President is willing to fight for the autonomy of the University, he responded, “Well, as long as we can, you know? And that is why, we talk to students, we talk to the faculty, we talk to stakeholders, we talk to people who would like to listen.”

Leyco concluded the interview that the issue is not about him as he has a fixed term.

Last night, Leyco also shed light on the concerns of the Manila Councilors on the possible delistment of PLM from the list of beneficiaries of the Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) Act, a law that provides free higher education for eligible Filipino students.

The University President shared that the administration understood the concerns. He added that the concern is understandable due to the fact that the “major chunk” of the PLM’s budget is coming from the reimbursements from the UAQTE Act.

Leyco also mentioned that the administration was also surprised with the CHED’s resolution as they were never asked to comment and it just came 15 days ago.

WATCH: PLM President Leyco reacts on CHED's delistment warning