Mega Snapshots
COA flags CHED’s Free Higher Education program for P295-M overpayment to local colleges
Lapses in the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) implementation of the Free Higher Education (FHE) program resulted to more than P295 million in overpayments to three local universities and colleges, according to a 2024 Commission on Audit (COA) report.
- The COA said these were partly attributed to it charging erroneous athletic, cultural, and development fees. For instance, the school charged P2,300 in cultural fees instead of the board-approved P100 and P1,230 in athletic fees instead of the approved P130.
- Auditors said the school billed P1,880 for development fees, above the P1,100 rate approved by its Board of Trustees, and also overcharged for library and guidance fees.
- Gordon College was likewise flagged for P19 million in overpayments between AY 2019-2020 and the second semester of AY 2023-2024, including P18.25 million in lab fees for an Audio-Visual Room that auditors said did not qualify as a laboratory facility.
- Moreover, COA found that the three institutions billed all enrollees for School ID and Handbook fees every semester, despite regulations stating these should be charged only to incoming first-year students.
- State auditors also called out CHED for failing to liquidate P647 million worth of its CHED Merit Scholarship Programs (CMSPs) disbursements during Academic Years 2019–2020 up to 2023–2024. Soccsksargen remained unliquidated because the schools had not submitted reports or documents showing how they spent the scholarship money.
COA discovers 'ghost,' ineligible students in DepEd SHS voucher program
The Commission on Audit (COA) on Monday called out the Department of Education (DepEd) for including “ghost students,” ineligible beneficiaries, and students from prestigious high-tuition private schools under its Senior High School Voucher Program for school years 2022–2023 and 2023–2024.
With 9 in 10 kids struggling to read, business-led group urges stricter teacher screening and licensure exam
The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), a nonprofit formed by business leaders in 2006, has urged the Marcos administration to strengthen the board licensure examination for professional teachers (BLEPT) to ensure Filipino students are taught by the most qualified educators.
Related:
- How a teacher promotion policy became a breeding ground for diploma mills
- Group slams government 'criminal neglect' after 24.8M Filipinos found functionally illiterate
- Why DepEd’s literacy crisis can’t be solved by a bigger budget
- Filipino students' proficiency plummets to near zero by Senior High School, study finds
Where are the Filipino researchers?
The question surfaced during a budget hearing in the Senate for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Sen. Francis Pangilinan cited World Bank data that Philippine numbers are below the average numbers for a middle-income country.
Using the Scopus database as source, the Spanish research thinktank SCImago shows the Philippines has produced 79,681 documents in Scopus (the world’s leading database for scholarly works). That number is at least half —or more— of what Malaysia (555,489), Singapore (465,685), Indonesia (447,794), Thailand (337,022) and Viet Nam (161,292) have produced. It seems that among the most populated countries in Asia, China, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh have mustered their numbers and published more studies in the Scopus database than the Philippines.
Related:
Kulelat! Philippines among Southeast Asia’s weakest in talent
The Philippines ranked the lowest among Southeast Asian nations in the 2025 IMD World Talent Ranking, which covered 69 economies.
PH still world’s ‘bullying capital’; 63% of Grade 5 pupils bullied —EDCOM II
The Philippines remains the “bullying capital of the world,” with nearly two in three Grade 5 students reporting that they experience bullying at least once a month, according to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).
Solon sounds alarm on PH’s college dropout rate
Despite the government’s free tuition programs aimed at easing financial barriers, nearly four out of 10 Filipino college students still drop out due to pressures of employability and lack of engagement in school, according to Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre.
Classroom backlog could outlast 5 presidents, says Bam Aquino
The Philippines’ classroom shortage is so severe it could persist well beyond the terms of five future presidents unless the government finds a more efficient way to build new school infrastructure, Senate basic education panel chairperson Sen. Bam Aquino warned Tuesday, August 12.
Marcos frustrated with K-12
One more voice has been added to the large chorus of critics of the K-12 program – President Marcos. The President said he shares the frustrations of the senators, citing the added financial burden on parents to send their children to school.
UNICEF official flags Philippines for major learning crisis
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned of a “real and widespread learning crisis” in the Philippines, as recent findings revealed that a vast majority of students are falling significantly behind in reading and mathematics.
Highest illiteracy rates mostly in southern PH
Eight of the 10 provinces with the poorest literacy rates in the country are in Mindanao, according to figures culled on Thursday from the Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (Flemms) done by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
3 in 10 Filipinos struggle to comprehend what they read — but poverty deepens the problem
While over 90% of Filipinos can read and write, just 70% can comprehend what they read — with the disparity reaching its most severe levels in regions hit hardest by poverty.
Related:
Marcos orders, vows more financial, tech support for PH inventors
In order to further support the country’s inventors, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he ordered the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to boost financial and technical support for them.
PH breaks into QS global top 100 by subject, but still far behind SEA neighbors
Two Philippine schools have placed for the first time in the global top 100 of QS' world university rankings by subject, according to its latest edition, but the country still trails its Southeast Asian neighbors with higher-ranked academic programs.
Mark Villar files bill to embed digital skills in PH education curriculum
Citing widening global disparities in digital literacy, Senator Mark Villar has filed a measure seeking to institutionalize digital skills and technology education across all levels of Philippine schooling.
Marcos Jr. orders fast-tracking of construction of classrooms nationwide
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered the acceleration of construction and rehabilitation of classrooms nationwide.
E-Net Philippines backs Asia- Pacific convention on degree recognition
A national civil society network advocating education reforms has expressed support for the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, also known as the Tokyo Convention.
Philippines may soon move to end automatic promotion of failing students
Students who cannot read or do basic math may soon be held back from advancing to the next grade level, according to a congressional commission's decade-long plan publicized this week to address the country's wide-ranging education crisis.
Philippines may soon move to end automatic promotion of failing students
Students who cannot read or do basic math may soon be held back from advancing to the next grade level, according to a congressional commission's decade-long plan publicized this week to address the country's wide-ranging education crisis.
DepEd fast-tracks 2026 classroom construction
Seeking to close a nationwide shortage of 165,000 classrooms, Education Secretary Sonny Angara has mobilized the Department of Education (DepEd)’s infrastructure group to finalize measures to speed up classroom construction in 2026.
DepEd breaks decade-long gridlock:Textbooks procurement up 289%
Breaking a decade-long stagnation in education logistics, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported a significant surge in successfully procured textbook titles — surpassing the total output of the previous ten years combined.
PH universities climb in 2026 World University Sustainability Rankings
Several universities rose in rankings in the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Sustainability Rankings, marking significant progress in sustainability efforts based on global metrics.
PH universities climb in 2026 World University Sustainability Rankings
Several universities rose in rankings in the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Sustainability Rankings, marking significant progress in sustainability efforts based on global metrics.
Legarda seeks to extend EDCOM II’s mandate to 2027
Senator Loren Legarda has sponsored Senate Bill No. 1483 to extend the mandate of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) until December 2027, citing the Commission’s sustained momentum and impact on evidence-based education reforms.
Stronger R&D efforts needed to commercialize PH innovations
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) highlighted Thursday the importance of strengthening Research and Development (R&D) to increase the commercial value and marketing potential of Filipino innovations.
Stronger R&D efforts needed to commercialize PH innovations
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) highlighted Thursday the importance of strengthening Research and Development (R&D) to increase the commercial value and marketing potential of Filipino innovations.
Marcos signs law creating National Aviation Academy
President Marcos has signed into law Republic Act No. 12255, establishing the National Aviation Academy of the Philippines (NAAP) as the country’s premier institution for higher education and training in aviation and aerospace.
CEU ranks among world's most innovative universities
Centro Escolar University (CEU) has once again earned global recognition, securing the 259th spot among 1,253 universities worldwide in the 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI). This places CEU among the top 400 institutions worldwide shaping the future of education through creative solutions, forward-thinking leadership, and meaningful impact.
DOST opens country’s first glycogen extraction facility in Tacloban
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has opened the country’s first glycogen extraction facility in this city, which can convert green mussels into high-value glycogen for diverse applications.
Philippines signs $600-million World Bank education loan repayable until 2055, secures $24.5-million agri grant
The Philippines will repay its new $600-million World Bank loan for education reform until 2055, while also securing a separate $24.5-million grant to support sustainable agriculture transformation, newly signed agreements between the government and the Washington-based multilateral lender showed.
Related:
- Another World Bank loan: $600 million for Philippine K-10 learning
- 'Overburdened' CHED taps World Bank for review of staff, structure
- PH-Japan educational ties strengthen 'Golden Age' relations — envoy
- Malaysia eyes more scholarship opportunities for Filipino students
- DepEd gets $150-M WB loan; eyes more ODA, PPPs for learning gaps
- DepEd, World Bank discuss efforts to resolve basic education challenges
- World Bank OKs $1.25B loans for PH resilient schools, economic recovery projects
- US gov't launches P1.6-B upskilling program for PH higher education