By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Alarmed by the apparent “Chinese invasion” as thousands of Chinese nationals have enrolled in at least two universities in Cagayan, House Deputy Majority Leader, and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo on Wednesday (22 May 2024) urged Congress for rigorous scrutiny of financial transactions in educational institutions after learning that Chinese students were paying P1.2 million each to enroll in some universities in the country.
“Nagulat ako kasi karamihan sa mga sinasabi nilang mga estudyante ay hindi naman mga mukhang estudyante. Karamihan sa kanila mga itsurang matanda na. Ito ang nakakabahala, baka mamaya sinasakop na nila ang ating bansa,” Tulfo said.
Cagayan 3rd Dist. Rep. Joseph Lara, who sponsored the congressional inquiry, revealed that at least 4,600 Chinese nationals have enrolled as students in some colleges in Cagayan.
Tulfo was reacting to the revelation during the inquiry of the Committee on
Justice chaired by Negros Occidental, 4th Dist. Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, “into the surge of alleged Chinese students enrolling in the various higher education institutions in Cagayan province, particularly in the city of Tuguegarao, with the end view of ensuring national security amidst the prevailing situation in the West Philippine Sea.”
Lara also divulged that St. Paul University in Tuguegarao admitted that each Chinese student is paying P1.2 million just to enroll in the said school.
“It was not denied by the representative of St. Paul University, PJ Lappay, that the current fee paid by a Chinese student in St. Paul is one million two hundred thousand pesos (Php 1,200,000.00),” said Lara during his sponsorship speech.
Tulfo was shocked by the revelation as he raised concerns over our national security.
“The recent revelation that a Chinese student was paying P1.2 million in school fees in the Philippines raises significant national security concerns,” the hard-hitting journalist-turned-lawmaker said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
