By Minka Klaudia Tiangco In light of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) crisis, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) is granting its students a one-year period to settle their unpaid tuition and other fees for the second semester of Academic Year 2019-2020. Students who have yet to settle their accounts will also be allowed to enroll in the next semester, PLM said in a statement. The PLM Board of Regents approved this proposal by the management during their May 29 meeting. “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of our people economically, including the PLM community. We are hoping to lighten their load and give them time to get back on their feet with minimal disruption in their studies," PLM President Emmanuel Leyco said. While "a big chunk" of the education cost at the university is paid for by the city of Manila and the national government, select students, particularly those enrolled in master's degree and doctorate programs, pay tuition and miscellaneous fees. With the new rule, students who have unsettled accounts will only be required to pay one-third of the unpaid balances to enroll. The remaining amount can be settled within a year, split into three equal installments. Earlier, PLM gave all its students passing marks for the second semester of A.Y. 2019-2020 and its graduating students additional time to finish their theses and dissertations "in recognition of the extremely serious impact of COVID-19 on the academic life of students, faculty, and the academic community as a whole." As the country eases into the "new normal" with COVID-19 cases still rising, the university will employ blended learning strategies for the upcoming school year. "The University is currently building its capability to deliver its programs from a digital platform that will connect our faculty and students,” Leyco said. PLM's faculty members will be trained to use new technology to deliver virtual lessons to students. In its statement, the university also said that uncollected tuition and other school revenues will be used to procure broadcasting and video recording equipment, software, and online delivery channels. Classrooms and audio-visual rooms will also undergo retrofitting for the new learning set-up.