The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved on Friday tuition increases for nine colleges in Eastern Visayas, mostly in Ormoc and Tacloban.

The CHED regional arm in Eastern Visayas said there were a total of 14 colleges requesting for the tuition increase but only nine were approved because of their compliance with the requirements.

The nine colleges include ABE International Business College-Tacloban, AMA Computer Learning Center (ACLC) Ormoc, ACLC Tacloban, AMA Tacloban, Jose Navarro Polytechnic College-Kalinga, St. Michael College-Ormoc, STI College-Ormoc, Santo Nino College-Ormoc and Western Leyte College-Ormoc.

According to Soccoro Ramos of CHED Technical Division, schools applying for tuition hikes shall submit requirements such as “proof of consultation with students and parents, and statement of account of their operation to justify the increase based on expenses incurred in previous years.

Ramos added that among the five colleges whose tuition increase petitions were disapproved, one college did not push through with their proposal for the school year.

According to CHED, the average tuition fee increase is 7 percent, or P26.21 per unit. For other fees, average increase is 7.56 percent, or P310.73.