House OKs higher education reform package on 2nd reading

The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, chaired by TINGOG Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, announced that a comprehensive package of higher education reforms was approved on second reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The measures aim to modernize governance, recalibrate curriculum priorities and strengthen state universities and colleges nationwide.

Acidre, who presented the bills in plenary, described the package as a structural response to long-standing institutional constraints that have limited the system’s agility and global competitiveness.

“As our economy becomes more complex and more competitive, our higher education system cannot remain static,” Acidre said. “We must remove outdated constraints, strengthen institutional leadership, and ensure that what we teach responds to the realities our students will face.”

At the center of the reform package is House Bill No. 5019 under Committee Report No. 104, principally authored by Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, along with TINGOG Party-list Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, Andrew Julian K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre.

The measure seeks to amend Section 5(3) of Republic Act No. 9225 to allow the appointment of faculty members, researchers and administrators with dual citizenship in public higher education institutions. It removes the requirement to renounce foreign citizenship, expanding the pool of academic leaders and enabling globally trained Filipinos to serve in SUCs without additional legal barriers.

Complementing the governance reform are curriculum measures aimed at strengthening practical competencies and civic education.

House Bill No. 7628 under Committee Report No. 105 mandates the inclusion of a personal financial literacy course in the tertiary curriculum of higher education institutions, technical-vocational institutions and TESDA training centers. The proposal seeks to equip graduates with knowledge on savings, credit management, insurance and responsible financial decision-making.

Meanwhile, House Bill No. 7808 under Committee Report No. 119 integrates a comprehensive study of the Philippine experience during World War II into the higher education curriculum. It requires that at least 50 percent of the mandatory Philippine History subject cover the wartime period to reinforce civic consciousness and preserve historical memory.

The reform package also includes House Bill No. 7629 under Committee Report No. 106, which updates the charter of Palompon Polytechnic State University to align with Republic Act No. 8292 and harmonize its governance structure with national standards.

Acidre said the measures collectively represent a coordinated effort to reset governance in higher education by strengthening leadership, modernizing curriculum content and enhancing institutional responsiveness to national development goals.

“These bills are not isolated adjustments,” Acidre said. “They are part of a coherent effort to ensure that our universities are globally connected, financially literate, historically grounded, and structurally sound. If we expect our students to compete and lead, then our institutions must be built to support them.”