At Talisay City College Soc stops collection of lab, medical fees

CEBU, Philippines - Students will no longer be required to pay medical and laboratory certificate fees when enrolling at the Talisay City College (TCC).

Mayor Socrates Fernandez, who sits as the chairman of the board of trustees of the college, has cancelled the payment of such fees after hearing parents complain about the payment of additional fees. 

Students are still required to submit medical certificates but they can obtained these from any public testing areas which are cheaper than those obtained from private hospitals or testing areas. 

The college is still reeling from a storm following the discovery by the Commission on Audit that P10,553,270 in school fees was collected between 2004 and 2008 but these were not remitted to the city treasurer’s office.

The amount included the unremitted entrance/examination fees, insurance membership fees, development fees, assessment fees, Licensure Examination for Teachers review fees, graduation fees and payment for transcript of records, among others.

TCC president Tomas Ramos, who is on 30-day preventive suspension, has been ordered to account for the missing amount. 

Ramos reportedly showed the board of trustees pictures of projects which seemingly illustrate where the money allegedly went but minus pertinent documents to support the claims.  (FREEMAN)