An Appeal to PLM Alumni

Recently, I got a copy of the Ang Pamantasan and was shocked to read the headline: Facilities for Rent. According to the article, a Memorandum which took effect in December 2006 enforces the payment of rental fees by Non-Acdemic Organizations for the usage of University facilities and services.

For example, if the University Auditorium was used for a non-academic activity, the organizers would be charged P10,000. And that's only for the first four hours. Each succeeding hour will be charged P1,500. Even monobloc chairs are no longer free to borrow. They are rented, according to the Memorandum, at P20 a piece.

Is PLM now a semi-private University? I thought that PLM was established for the less privileged students of Manila. Scholars under the Non-Paying Program only pay minimum dues for tuition. Nevertheless, they expect not only quality education but worthwhile extra-curricular activities too, that will enrich their student life.

The Memorandum may, in effect, discourage these extra-curricular activities and nullify the very reason for existence of Non-Acdemic Organizations in PLM. Or, it may force these groups to charge registration/participation fees for every activity. The question is, would the Office of Student Development and Services allow such collections? Can the students afford it?

I am a proud alumnus of PLM. I owe it my education, my degree. But I am more indebted to Pamantasan because of the many invaluable things I learned outside the classroom, through the various Non-Academic Organizations I got involved with. No PLM scholar should be denied the same holistic development.

I appeal to you, my fellow alumni. Facilities in PLM are no longer for free. The freedom to use them for worthwhile non-academic activities is being curtailed. Let us do something about it!