CAGAYAN de Oro City - The city government is coordinating with PHINMA-Cagayan de Oro College (PHINMA-COC) to clarify conflicting payment instructions that have raised concerns among about 3,000 city scholars over fees required before taking their examinations.
Richel Petalcurin-Dahay, head of the City Education and Development Office (CEDO) and acting city education and development officer, said she would provide an update after meeting with school administrators to validate information shared by students.
Dahay said the concerns appeared to involve miscommunication and inconsistencies in announcements from different school offices. She described the matter as an internal concern of PHINMA-COC that required validation by its administration.
The issue surfaced after the City Scholars Association in PHINMA-COC (CSAP) raised concerns in a Facebook post on Oct. 15 about assessment fees and the possibility of students being denied examination permits.
City seeks clarity on payments
The City Scholarships Office has asked the City Finance Department to expedite the processing of pending payment vouchers covering previous school-year balances.
Dahay earlier said the city government had negotiated with PHINMA-COC’s chief operating officer to prioritize payment of an earlier billed amount of ₱20 million.
Under the arrangement she described, scholars covered by the city’s payment commitments should not be required to pay tuition-related charges to gain access to examinations while the city makes partial payments.
However, the current status of the ₱20-million payment, including whether a check is ready for release, has yet to be confirmed.
Students report different instructions
Some students were reportedly allowed to take examinations without paying additional fees, while others were asked to settle amounts ranging from ₱500 to ₱1,000.
Dahay earlier said the charges could involve unpaid non-tuition expenses, such as books or uniforms, rather than tuition.
The city is checking individual assessment records to determine why students received different instructions and which charges fall under the city’s scholarship payment arrangements.
The nature of the fees and the reasons for the differing instructions remain subject to verification with the school administration.
Validation still pending
Dahay said she would provide further information after meeting with PHINMA-COC administrators to validate the students’ concerns.
For the scholars, the immediate concern is whether they can take their scheduled examinations without unexpected charges or difficulties securing their permits.
The city government’s coordination with the school is intended to clarify payment requirements and help ensure that scholars receive consistent information. The outcome of the validation has not yet been confirmed.
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