Unions say UA&P not budging on demands even after labor chief steps in

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December 4, 2025 | 1:40pm

MANILA, Philippines — Two labor unions at the University of Asia and the Pacific said on Wednesday, December 3, that the school has still failed to make a meaningful offer in their months-long fight for higher wages and benefits, despite recent intervention by the country's labor secretary.

The UA&P unions, which voted in favor of a strike two months ago, said the university's latest proposal amounted to just a P700 signing bonus for union members.

The University of Asia and the Pacific Faculty and Maintenance Union (UA&PUFM) and the University of Asia and the Pacific Administrative Employees Union (UA&PUAE) said the offer was made during a conference called by the Department of Labor and Employment after the office of Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma assumed jurisdiction over the dispute.

DOLE Assistant Secretary Leonard Constantine Serrano presided over the meeting. Union leaders Ferdinand Delos Reyes of UA&PUFM and Audie Ravina of UA&PUAE attended with their legal counsels.

The unions said UA&P was represented only by unnamed "legal counsels" and HRM Deputy Director Ami Allarde, and that no member of the school’s management committee or any senior university official was present.

Philstar.com has reached out to the UA&P management committee for comment and will update this article with their response.

Walking back. In a statement, the unions said they have taken part in every conciliation and mediation meeting since they filed for preventive mediation. But they claimed UA&P management “has not provided any responsive counteroffer and has often walked back on previously agreed-upon terms.”

They also said the university has not given a detailed breakdown of tuition fee increase proceeds that would show compliance with Republic Act 6728 and CHED Memorandum Order No. 3 (2012), despite requests in earlier conferences.

DOLE directed the unions to submit their position paper on December 12, with their reply to the university’s submission due on December 19, the groups said.

Both unions expressed confidence they could persuade the labor secretary of the “reasonableness and necessity” of their demands and said they expect a decision early next year.

Intervention. The DOLE secretary earlier decided to take jurisdiction of the UA&P unions' grievance by motu proprio (or by its own initiative) due to the nature of the case. Among others, the labor secretary deemed the fact that the faculty & staff's grievances "occur in an establishment and industry serving national interests," the unions said in a joint statement early November.

Two lawmakers, Rep. Eli San Fernando (Kamanggagawa Partylist) and Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers) have vowed to assist the unions in exercising their right to strike and organize.