Has change finally come to CHED?

I believe the President made the right decision in choosing Dr. Emmanuel “Manny” Y. Angeles as the new CHED Chairman. Before he was installed into office many CHED personnel were excited to meet the man saying, “At long last we have a chairman who knows how the university system works. He comes to us bringing his experience in the field of education as a practitioner.”

I guess the CHED chairmen in the past were mostly political appointees. Their credentials did not quite fit into the criteria that CHED really needed. Their objective in the past was leaning toward the “business” (or money-making) aspect of operations more than encouraging and controlling schools to develop quality programs to meet academic excellence. The past administration allowed new colleges and universities to pop up producing mediocre graduates. If DepEd, TESDA and CHED continue to encourage these fly by night schools to flourish and do not tighten their measures in permitting schools to operate and accrediting them – nothing will happen to the country. The nation will continue to produce inferior graduates.

Anyway, with Manny Angeles around, let’s hope he brings a new spirit of vigor and zest to the CHED personnel as well as to the higher educational institutions of the country. After barely two-months of working at CHED, his battle cry is “Yes, we can do it!” I have a feeling he badly needs to assure himself that he can do the job. His other ‘spirit cheer’ which he keeps on repeating is, “We must work together.” He has probably begun to feel the weight of how gargantuan the task is ahead of him at CHED that is why he needs all the help he can get.

When the CHED personnel (from the main office) vacated the Development Academy of the Philippines building in Ortigas to transfer to their newly constructed “controversial” site in UP Diliman, the offices of the Chairman and the Commissioners were not yet ready. But an alikabok told me that Manny Angeles directed all Commissioners to get back to work even if their offices were not yet ready. Good for you Manny, that’s leadership! The new CHED Chairman himself positioned a table and chair in the lobby of the building to welcome all personnel and to get to know them. I guess it was his way of checking on his people and showing them that he will ‘lead by example’.

From the day he started work at CHED he had already begun making reforms starting with the staff (improving their uniforms) and the environment bringing more dignity to the service they provide to our citizens. There sure is a lot of work to be done at CHED. I pray that you stay on the right track, Sir!

By the way, I heard that many of the CHED Commissioners have been seating in school board rooms receiving honorariums left and right. It’s about time these Commissioners become the models of the department and start working instead of socializing, don’t you think?

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Manny Angeles was the former Clark Development Corporation President (2001-2005). He is a lawyer by profession. He obtained his Bachelor of Law at the Ateneo in 1960. He completed his Master of Law and Doctorate of Philosophy in Political Science at the University of Santo Tomas in 1968 and 1971, respectively. He also went through post-graduate studies in Educational Management at the Harvard University Institute of Educational Management.

He comes from a family of educators. After his stint in government service, he became the First Chancellor of the Angeles University Foundation (2005); President and Chairman of the Board of the Angeles University Foundation Medical Center; Immediate Past President of the Central Luzon Association of Higher Education Institutions; Immediate Past National President and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Private Schools Athletics Association; Immediate Past President and Ex-Officio Board Member of the Association of Universities in Asia and the Pacific.

He was appointed by President Joseph E. Estrada as Member of the Preparatory Commission on Constitutional Reforms (PCCR) tasked to study the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. He organized the Movement for a Strong Philippines (MSP), a non political, non-partisan organization which envisions to foster awareness on the role of the Filipino Youth in bringing forth changes for a just, peaceful and strong nation through education and training, communication and leadership formation.

I am probably starting to sound like an emcee introducing the next speaker of a commencement activity… sorry about that. I just want to point out the fact that truly this man has experience and has an honorable track record. I sincerely hope that all the angels are on his side to guide him. We need change and this is the right time to do it.

Last week, the Presidential Task Force for Education (PTFE) had a consultative meeting with the tertiary educational sector on curricular reforms. By the way, the Presidential Task force for Education is headed by: Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, S.J of the Ateneo University, Secretary Emmanuel Y. Angeles, DepEd Secretary Jesli A. Lapus, TESDA Secretary Augusto L. Syjuco and CHED Undersecretary Mona D. Valisno. They brought up two issues which need to be resolved: (1) The Length of Schooling in the Philippines and (2) The Quality of Education and Internationally Recognized Accreditation for Engineering and Accounting. Another important point is the aim to improve the gap between the supply of graduates and the demand of employment. They want the industries and HEIs in the different communities to meet so that courses offered will match the needs of the industries. This task force will present their recommendations to the President on December 9 after completing their dialogues in the different regions. I pray that they be enlightened to do good work for the country.

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In one of his candid moments, the new CHED Chairman quipped, “The trouble with our politicians (mayors, congressmen and senators) is that they keep on endorsing their relatives and friends to be appointed as Presidents of the State Universities even if they are not qualified.” He actually receives more than ten phone calls a day for such requests. So what should he do? This has been a problem of DepEd as well. Most local government officials interfere in the educational sector by pressuring DepEd officials of the region to make their relatives or friends principals of public schools. Susmariosep! What a country.