Repeal of CHED, Tesda charters backed

MANILA, Philippines — The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) backed the repeal of the charters of the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, saying reforms are long overdue more than three decades after the agencies were established.

EDCOM 2 executive director Karol Mark Yee noted that many of the issues identified during the first education commission in the 1990s remain unresolved, citing persistent gaps in quality, mismatches between education and employment and uneven access across regions.

“More or less, we are still facing similar concerns today, 32 years after the creation of what should have been the governance response to solve these constraints,” Yee said.

He noted that in CHED Region IV, there is only one person to monitor nearly 200 programs.

“How can you ensure quality under those conditions?” Yee noted, pointing to structural constraints that limit effective regulation and oversight, leading to the unchecked presence of diploma mills.

Proposed bills seek to replace Republic Act 7722 for CHED and RA 7796, with updated frameworks that reflect current demands in education, workforce development and global competitiveness.

CHED chair Shirley Agrupis also supported the proposed reforms, emphasizing the need to strengthen governance while preserving quality standards.

She added that governance reforms must ensure clear institutional roles, strong leadership standards and effective oversight to maintain the integrity of higher education institutions.

Agrupis pushed for refining certain provisions in the proposed charter, particularly on governance structures and regulatory authority.

“If we set the right standards and strengthen our monitoring, we do not need quasi-judicial powers stipulated in the proposed measure,” Agrupis said.