THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines High School in Cebu is now accepting freshmen applicants after top UP officials allowed the state university?s high school department to continue its operations, at least for now.

Dr. Purita Baltazar, principal of the UP high school program, said it was ?a step? into victory but warned that the ?struggle continues? because the threat to close the high school is still there.

?Hopefully we can really solve the problem (of the high school) while we understand the plans of the dean for autonomy,? Baltazar added. ?For now, we are very happy but the problem is we can only have one section.?

UP Visayas Cebu College Dean Enrique Avila, whose proposal to phase out the high school generated protests from the UP community, refused to comment on the issue but confirmed that the high school would now start accepting freshmen applicants.

He also refused to comment on Cebu 3rd district Rep. Pablo John Garcia's statement that he had defied orders from top UP officials, saying ?If I make a comment, it will just muddle the issue.?

In a letter to UPV Chancellor Minda Formacion in Iloilo City, Avila had set five conditions before implementing Formacion's earlier orders to continue the operations of the high school.

Garcia, an alumni of the high school, has been lobbying for the high school program to continue for the ?poor but deserving students? who cannot afford quality education.

Avila's Feb. 26 letter to Formacion, a copy of which was obtained by CDN, showed that the dean agreed to continue the operations of the high school subject to certain conditions.

He wanted the college not to provide new faculty resources to the high school program and not to support its faculty development.

?The admission shall be limited to only one section without prejudice to the existing proposal to phase it out,? Avila told Formacion.

Avila also wanted the high school to proceed with its plans to source funds for their operations. Lastly, Avila wanted the Professional Education Division, to which the high school program belongs, not to continue implementing programs which are being served well by existing schools in Cebu.

When sought for comment, Baltazar said the conditions were still aimed at dissolving the high school program and the faculty would not get their due benefits. ?What if there will be resignations or retirements, we can no longer replace the teachers??

But Formacion approved only two out of the five conditions set by Avila. These include the downsizing of the class to one section and for the high school to source its funds for their operations.

?We are happy of the decision of the chancellor. Our existing (high school) program deserved support from the college since it is still an existing program,? said Baltazar.

The UP high school faculty last week held an audience with Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, the elder sister of Rep. Garcia where the proposal to incorporate culture and the arts in its curriculum was discussed. There was positive response from the Governor who had promised to help solve the financial woes of the school.