Maureen Alpanta

This study assessed the timeliness and delays in the payment of tuition fees among college students at Mallig Plains Colleges, Inc. (MPCI) during the academic year 2026 as the foundational basis for crafting a responsive financial monitoring plan. Employing a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design, the study gathered data from 60 randomly selected college students across six academic programs. Statistical analysis including frequencies, means, t-tests, Pearson correlation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that gender, course, year level, primary sponsor, and parental occupation exhibited no significant relationship with payment timeliness. Instead, punctuality was strongly tied to situational and behavioral dynamics. The findings demonstrated that timely tuition fee payments exert a very high positive impact on students’ academic and administrative fluidity and psychosocial stability, effectively removing administrative barriers and mitigating social stigmas. Conversely, delayed payments generated severe ramifications, acting as a direct catalyst for significant institutional bottlenecks and profound socio-economic and emotional barriers, including heightened exam-week anxiety and dropout tendencies. Income volatility due to seasonal agricultural livelihoods and emergency health expenses were identified as the primary economic triggers of payment friction. Alongside, clear institutional communication, accessible payment infrastructure, and strict policy enforcement acted as crucial external determinants of student compliance. While payment timeliness remained uniform across demographics, a significant difference emerged between genders regarding their financial responsibility styles and administrative engagement methods. Based on these insights, a comprehensive Monitoring Plan is proposed to transition the institution from a reactive to a proactive financial framework, optimizing collections while safeguarding student well-being.