MANILA, Philippines — Concerned students and faculty of the Universidad de Manila (UDM) filed a complaint with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) over the continued stay of Felma Carlos-Tria as its president, an appointment they say has been invalid from the start.

Tria assumed office in August 2021 following the resignation of then president Maria Lourdes Tiquia. However, she was designated by then-mayor Isko Moreno without undergoing the open, competitive selection process mandated by CHED Memorandum Order 4, s. 2007.

While Tiquia's appointment was later confirmed by the Board of Regents, the required search committee process was never conducted — rendering the appointment void ab initio, according to the complainants.

Internal university correspondence confirms that CHEd continues to bar UDM from participating in the UniFAST (Universal Financial Assistance System for Tertiary education) program — the government’s free tuition and subsidy system — due to the unresolved governance violations.

Despite this, reports now indicate that Tria may be reappointed this August without a lawful search, as her original four-year term nears its end.

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The move would directly contradict Ordinance 8977, passed by the Manila City Council in 2023, which amended UDM’s charter to comply with CHED rules, including the mandatory search process, term limits, and qualification requirements for the presidency.

“The city government is defying its own law,” said one of the faculty members who signed the complaint but refused to be identified.

“Students are being shut out of national support programs, and nothing is being done to fix it,” the faculty member added.

The Manila Times has reached out to the UDM management for comment and was told that a statement would be issued within the day.