Education as ASEAN’s enduring link
August in the Philippines is no ordinary month – it’s ASEAN Month, proclaimed under Proclamation No. 282 to highlight the country’s membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and foster greater public awareness of its goals.
When we talk about ASEAN in the Philippine context, the conversation often revolves around trade, diplomacy, and tourism. But the recent vibrant celebration led by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) reminds us that ASEAN is also about people, learning, and shared futures.
Through my ASEAN series, “CHEDUKASYON: The ASEAN Special Coverage,” for Pamilya Talk (on iWantTFC! ???? Click here to watch!), I had the privilege of witnessing how CHED transformed what traditionally was a formal commemoration into an engaging and inclusive showcase of Southeast Asian solidarity. The program brimmed with cultural richness, academic collaboration, and the shared aspiration to elevate higher education standards across the region.
More than a celebration, it felt like a statement that Philippine higher education stands ready to engage with its neighbors in building a shared future.
Regional harmony shaped by higher education
CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley Agrupis opened the celebration with a speech that reminded us that ASEAN Month is “a time for reflection, for renewal, and for reaffirming our deep commitment to ASEAN’s vision of peace, progress, and regional solidarity.”
She spoke of ASEAN not just as a diplomatic body, but as “a living community –home to more than 600 million people, bound together by shared values, histories, and aspirations.” Her words resonated especially when she highlighted higher education’s role in shaping “a region that learns together, innovates together, and grows together.”
What struck me most was her emphasis on the Philippines’ upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, a responsibility we are assuming earlier than scheduled after Myanmar’s deferment. With at least P22 billion already earmarked for preparations, Dr. Agrupis said this is a moment to show leadership grounded in sustainability, digital transformation, and regional harmonization.
Her call to action was clear: “Let CHED and Philippine higher education be a driving force in ASEAN’s next chapter – where sustainability, digital innovation, and regional unity are not just ideas, but realities.”
AIMS and other cultural bridges
If the morning plenary was about vision, the moderated session on “ASEAN Matters to Higher Education” was about action.
For Atty. Milla, AIMS is more than an exchange platform, it is a bridge that deepens cultural understanding and equips young people to be “active contributors to the ASEAN Community.” But she was also candid: for AIMS to meet its full potential, it must evolve with “emerging realities, priorities, and policy directions across the region.”
She outlined CHED’s concrete plans, including expanding institutional participation beyond urban centers, enhancing student support systems, aligning AIMS with quality assurance frameworks, and fostering sustained regional partnerships. In her words, “we are not just improving a program, we are laying the groundwork for a truly harmonized ASEAN higher education space.”
Connections beyond campuses and countries
Beyond high-level forums, CHED encouraged higher education institutions (HEIs) nationwide to organize their own ASEAN-themed events -– from cultural showcases and ASEAN quiz bees to lectures on regional cooperation and student exchange opportunities.
Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship theme, Inclusivity and Sustainability, resonated strongly with the activities. The kick-off ceremony was a lively mix of performances, speeches, and calls to action, reminding everyone that ASEAN’s core values, peace, prosperity, and people-centered development, are lived out in everyday academic and cultural encounters.
In a world where global alliances can shift rapidly, CHED’s efforts to keep ASEAN at the forefront of Philippine higher education strategy is both timely and strategic. It shows that diplomacy can start in the classroom, and that the stories, songs, and ideas we share today can shape regional peace and prosperity for years to come.
This year’s celebration leaves a strong message: ASEAN is alive in our classrooms, in our campuses, and in the dreams of our youth. And with CHED at the helm of higher education’s regional cooperation, the Philippines is not just participating in ASEAN, it is helping lead it into a brighter future.
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