Sen. Legarda seeks two-year extension for EDCOM II to sustain education reforms

Senator Loren Legarda has urged her colleagues in the Senate to approve a measure extending the mandate of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) for two more years to ensure the continuation and institutionalization of key reforms in the country’s education system.

In sponsoring Senate Bill No. 1483, under Committee Report No. 7, Legarda said the measure seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11899 to extend the duration of EDCOM II until December 2027, allowing the Commission to continue its comprehensive work in reforming Philippine education beyond its current December 2025 deadline.

“We are at a moment when progress is within reach. The work has direction. The coordination is in place. The momentum is real. It is only right that we see it through,” Legarda said in her sponsorship speech.

EDCOM II was created in 2022 to conduct a national assessment of the Philippine education system and recommend policy and structural reforms that would improve its quality, equity, and responsiveness to national needs. According to Legarda, the Commission has delivered on this mandate through rigorous research, policy development, and coordination across government agencies.

Its major studies, Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education and Fixing the Foundations: A Matter of National Survival, have revealed systemic and persistent deficiencies, including a classroom backlog of 165,000 units, chronic textbook shortages, widespread undernutrition among early learners, low participation in early childhood programs, and high attrition rates in higher education.

Legarda said the Commission’s work has gone beyond identifying problems—it has also driven legislative and administrative action. EDCOM II’s research informed ten landmark education laws in the 19th Congress that expanded access, promoted equity, and improved quality in the country’s education system. It has also guided budget allocations and policy coordination between agencies such as the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The senator cited that EDCOM II’s recommendations on early childhood development resulted in the allocation of P1 billion in the 2025 national budget for the establishment of Child Development Centers in 328 low-income local government units, as well as P80 million in scholarships for the professional development of child development workers. The Commission also identified misalignments between professional education, technical training, and licensure policies across CHED, TESDA, and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). This led to the creation of a Tripartite Council last month tasked to harmonize curricula, training regulations, and licensure standards under a unified framework.

Beyond these initiatives, Legarda said EDCOM II has played a central role in uniting education agencies that traditionally worked in isolation. The Commission convened DepEd, CHED, and TESDA in their first-ever joint meeting to pursue system-wide reforms. TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez lauded the Commission’s role, noting that its evidence-based work “encouraged agencies to move beyond their own little silos and work toward a more integrated education system.”

EDCOM II was also instrumental in establishing the Education and Workforce Development Group through Administrative Order No. 36, a measure that directly addressed fragmentation in education and workforce policies.

Legarda underscored that the Commission’s ongoing work includes the completion of the National Education and Workforce Development Plan and several priority measures identified under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) for the 20th Congress. These include proposed amendments to strengthen the national feeding program, expand voucher coverage for younger students, enhance access to tertiary education subsidies, modernize teacher licensure pathways, align the use of local Special Education Funds with current needs, and close the classroom gap nationwide.

The senator emphasized that extending EDCOM II’s mandate will ensure that these measures are carried out and institutionalized. “While much has been achieved, significant work remains to build the education system our people deserve,” she said.

During a Senate hearing last October, key education agencies including DepEd, CHED, and TESDA expressed full support for the extension of EDCOM II, recognizing the Commission’s vital role in sustaining reforms and coordination within the education sector.

Since its creation, EDCOM II has conducted 97 research studies, partnered with 91 organizations, held 44 workshops and consultations, 32 hearings, nine site visits, and three benchmarking missions. Legarda credited the Commission’s progress to the dedication of its Secretariat led by Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee, and to its bipartisan Advisory Council composed of current and former legislators.

Legarda concluded that EDCOM II’s extension is crucial to maintaining the reform momentum it has built since 2022. “The Commission has proven that research, collaboration, and commitment can drive real change in education. Extending its mandate is not just about continuity—it is about ensuring that every Filipino learner benefits from the system we have long envisioned.”