Home  »  UP Offices   »   UP BOR Approves First Salary Hike in a Decade for Student, Graduate Assistants

UP BOR Approves First Salary Hike in a Decade for Student, Graduate Assistants

| Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office

 

 

The ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ (UP) is announcing a significant increase in the hourly rates of Student Assistants and Graduate Assistants (SAGA)—the first adjustment in more than a decade.

The new hourly rates reflect UP’s commitment to fair compensation:

  • Student Assistants (SA) will now earn Php 81 per hour, a 35% increase from the previous rate.
  • Graduate Assistants with a Master’s Degree (GA-MS) will earn Php 145.00 per hour, representing a 45% increase; and Graduate Assistants with a PhD (GA-PhD) will receive Php 210.00 per hour, marking a 50% increase.

The UP Board of Regents (BOR) approved the revised SAGA Program Guidelines during its 1,398th meeting on March 27, 2025. This marks a major milestone in the collaborative efforts of the UP Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) – Office of Student Development Services to improve student welfare.

First introduced during the BOR’s 1,302nd meeting in October 2014, the SAGA Program has been instrumental in providing part-time employment to students across the UP System. The updated guidelines standardize the terms of engagement, duties and compensation for student and graduate assistants, creating a more equitable and consistent employment framework across the university.

By aligning the new rates with the corresponding government salary grades, UP ensures compensation that better reflects the qualifications and contributions of its student workforce.

The SAGA Program includes two main roles: Office Assistants and Class Assistants.

  • Office Assistants handle clerical tasks such as data encoding, registration support, IT troubleshooting, answering calls, responding to queries and welcoming visitors.
  • Class Assistants provide clerical and IT support to faculty or academic units under supervision. They do not engage in teaching, grading, facilitating discussions or recording grades.

The increased rates will be implemented in the first semester of the Academic Year 2025-2026.

 

 

This revision underscores UP’s dedication to enhancing student welfare and fostering a supportive academic environment through just and competitive compensation. With enhanced compensation and clearer guidelines, the university aims to enrich the overall academic experience while promoting a productive working atmosphere for all participants in the program. 

For more information regarding the revised SAGA program guidelines and salary rates, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at osds@up.edu.ph, studentwelfare.osds@up.edu.ph, and phone no. (02) 8981-8500 local 8778 and 8779.