Regino v.

Pangasinan College
G.R. No. 156109
November 18, 2004

PANGANIBAN, J.
Facts:
The petitioner, Khristine, was a first year computer science student at Pangasinan Colleges
of Science and Technology (PCST). Coming from a poor family, she was financially supported
by her relatives to go to college. Her school had a fund raising campaign and the students
were required to buy two tickets each. The students who purchased tickets would get
additional points in their test scores, while those who declined were denied to take the final
examinations.
Because of financial constraints and religious prohibitions, the petitioner refused to pay for
the tickets. On the date of the final examinations, she was not allowed by her teachers to
take the tests and was asked to leave the classroom. The petitioner filed a complaint for
damages against the school and her teachers. In response, PCST and the two teachers filed a
motion to dismiss. The RTC dismissed the complaint for “lack of cause of action”.
Issue:
Is the complaint stated a sufficient cause of action?
Ruling:
Yes. The Court regarded the school-student relationship as contractual in nature. Therefore,
the consequences related to and intrinsic in all contracts of such kind give rise to bilateral
rights and obligations. The school provides the students with education while the students
agree to follow the school requirements and to conform to its rules and regulations.
In this case, the college imposed fees which were not part of the school-student contract
entered into at the start of the school year and demanded such for the students' taking the
final examinations. The Court also pointed that the school-student contract is instilled in
public interest, as the Constitution gives priority to education and the grant to the State of
supervisory and regulatory powers over all educational institutions. Article XIV of the 1987
Constitution provides:
"The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels
and shall take appropriate steps to make such declaration accessible to all.

"Every student has a right to select a profession or course of study, subject to fair,
reasonable and equitable admission and academic requirements."