BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines - The number of colleges and universities seeking tuition increases has been declining, a positive sign of cooperation with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said.

In an ambush interview after the Cabinet meeting here on Tuesday, CHED Chairman Emmanuel Angeles said the tertiary schools seeking tuition increases for the coming school year has declined to less than 200.

The figure is way below the number 472 of universities and colleges that raised tuition hikes for school year 2006-2997, which went down to 383 for 2008-2009.

There are 1,726 universities and colleges and nationwide.

Angeles said the average tuition hike request is 5 to 10 percent.

He credited the declining number of tuition hike requests to President Arroyo's appeal for schools for restraint in view of the global economic crisis.

“Our President is working very well and the colleges and universities are cooperating with her," he said.

President Arroyo was “very happy with the result of the appeal," he added.

Interestingly, Angeles said, there was no request for tuition increase from the Central and Eastern Visayas for the coming school year.

CHED has been accused of not doing anything to stop tuition hikes amid the economic crisis that has resulted in thousands of Filipinos losing their jobs in the Philippines and abroad.

Angeles, however, had explained that the commission can only persuade because the education system has been deregulated.

He said the law states that 70 percent of tuition increase should go to salaries and benefits of teachers and non-teaching personnel and 30 percent should go to the improvement of school facilities and equipment.

* I'm happy to hear this news. There are really lots of children who wants to study, and if there is a school tuition fee increase, more likely their parent's might not be able to afford to send them to schools, resulting to lots of children uneducated. So, I'm glad some schools are coordinating with the President not to increase tuition especially that we are facing economic crises. *