Hearings on Filipino as medium of instruction in college set

CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan. PHOTO FROM CHED.GOV.PH

MANILA—The Commission on Higher Education is to conduct a series of consultations starting Friday on the planned use of Filipino in teaching at least nine units of general education courses.

CHEd chairperson Patricia Licuanan encouraged heads of public or private higher education institutions to take part in the public hearings for the proposal to use Filipino as a medium of instruction in at least nine of 36 units under the new general education curriculum.

Licuanan said that on Friday, the public hearings will be held at the CHEd Auditorium in Quezon City from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for representatives of colleges and universities in Regions I (Ilocos), II (Cagayan Valley), III (Central Luzon), IV-A (Calabarzon – Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, QUezon), IV-B (Mimaropa – Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), V (Bicol) and the Cordillera Administrative Region and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the National Capital Region and the CHEd technical panel.

On July 8, the hearings will be from 10 a.m. to noon at Parklane Hotel in Cebu City, for school representatives from VI (Western Visayas), VII (Central Visayas), VIII (Eastern Visayas); and on July 10, from 10 a.m. to noon, for regions IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), X (Northern Mindanao), XI (Davao Region), XII (Soccsksargen – Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City, Sarangani, South Cotabato), and XIII (Caraga Region) at the Grand Menseng Hotel in Davao City.

“To ascertain proper logistical preparation only one representative per HEI (higher education institution) or institution shall be allowed to attend this activity,” Licuanan said.

The CHEd’s technical panel on the general education curriculum had proposed that at least nine units of new general education courses be taught in Filipino, apparently following criticism over the removal of the Filipino subject from the new GEC.