ACT Teachers Partylist first nominee and former representative Antonio Tinio expressed strong support for the University of Santo Tomas Faculty Union (USTFU) as it filed a notice of strike following deadlocked negotiations with UST management regarding salary increases, benefits, and the release of long-overdue funds from tuition fee increases.
“We stand in solidarity with the faculty members of UST in their just fight for better wages, benefits, and fair treatment. The demands of the faculty union are not only reasonable but long overdue, especially given the massive tuition revenues that the university continues to collect from students,” Tinio said.
The USTFU, through a General Assembly vote on March 10, 2025, rejected the administration’s offer and declared a deadlock on 11 key provisions, including full hospitalization benefits, rank upgrades, the doubling of Christmas bonuses, reduced interest rates for emergency loans, longevity pay, additional vacation leave for non-teaching staff, and improved salaries for NSTP facilitators.
Moreover, the faculty union is demanding the immediate release of Php 220 million+ from the 70% share of tuition fee increases from AY 2020-2021 to AY 2023-2024, which remains unpaid by the university.
“Dapat kagyat na ibigay na sa mga guro ng UST ang kanilang rightful share alinsunod sa batas,” Tinio emphasized.
He further criticized the university for allegedly holding these funds “hostage” as a bargaining chip in the negotiations.
“The UST administration must immediately release these funds. It is both a legal and moral obligation to ensure that faculty members receive what is due to them. We call on the university management to engage in good faith negotiations and recognize the essential role that educators play in upholding the institution’s academic excellence,” Tinio added.
ACT Teachers Partylist vowed to continue supporting the USTFU and all other academic workers fighting for just compensation and dignified working conditions.
“We call on all educators and the public to support the faculty union’s demands. Ang laban ng mga guro ng UST ay laban ng lahat ng guro sa bansa. Walang tunay na dekalidad na edukasyon kung hindi kinikilala at binibigyang-halaga ang karapatan ng mga guro,” Tinio concluded. #
