Legarda backs higher education reforms in CHED policy dialogue
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Loren Legarda reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening Philippine higher education as she took part in the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Final Report Turnover and Strategic Policy Dialogue on November 5, 2026, at Crowne Plaza Galleria in Ortigas.
The dialogue brought together representatives from CHED, the World Bank, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), and the offices of fellow EDCOM II Commissioners Senators Bam Aquino and Joel Villanueva and Congressman Jude Acidre to discuss the findings and recommendations of the World Bank’s functional review of CHED.
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Conducted from November 2025 to July 2026, the review examined CHED’s organizational structure, staffing, regulatory responsibilities, and capacity to oversee the country’s expanding higher education sector.
The World Bank identified opportunities to strengthen CHED’s institutional capacity, particularly in addressing personnel shortages, streamlining administrative processes, clarifying regulatory responsibilities, and improving the monitoring of higher education outcomes. Among its recommendations were adopting more differentiated regulatory approaches, strengthening institutional oversight, and improving administrative efficiency to enable CHED to respond more effectively to the varying needs of higher education institutions.
The dialogue also addressed the administration of student financial assistance programs under the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), including staffing limitations and delays affecting the delivery of scholarships and subsidies. Discussions also covered governance arrangements for state universities and colleges (SUCs), institutional accountability, and possible improvements to CHED’s regulatory authority.
These reform priorities are also reflected in legislative measures filed by Legarda, including Senate Bill No. 1427, or the proposed Higher Education Development and Innovation Act of 2025, which seeks to modernize CHED’s charter by strengthening its regulatory and developmental functions, enhancing its institutional capacity, and introducing differentiated regulation and autonomy for higher education institutions.
Legarda also filed Senate Bill No. 1414, which seeks to strengthen SUC governance by clarifying the respective responsibilities of CHED and SUC governing boards, professionalizing institutional leadership, and granting greater autonomy to SUCs based on their performance and capacity.
“Our higher education institutions must be equipped to meet the changing needs of our students and our nation. Through these measures, we seek to strengthen their capacity to deliver quality education, uphold accountability, and create greater opportunities for every Filipino learner,” Legarda emphasized.
Legarda’s continuing engagement with CHED and other education stakeholders reflects her support for initiatives aimed at strengthening higher education governance, improving the delivery of educational services, and ensuring that institutional reforms translate into better opportunities and outcomes for Filipino students.
