IN a major move to reform the country’s tertiary education landscape, Senator Loren Legarda and Representative Jude Acidre, Co-Chairpersons of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), have filed landmark bills aiming to modernize the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) by updating its three-decade-old charter. Legarda filed Senate Bill No. 1427, while Acidre filed its counterpart, House Bill No. 4958.
“Our goal is to evolve the role of CHED from gatekeeper to gardener”, Legarda said. “For 30 years, the focus has been on regulation; it’s time to shift that focus to development. This bill empowers CHED to proactively cultivate excellence, weed out poor performance, and provide the support our higher education institutions need to flourish. By modernizing its charter, we are ensuring CHED has the right tools to build a truly competitive and high-quality tertiary education system for the country”.
The Higher Education Development and Innovation Act of 2025 seeks to update Republic Act No. 7722, the “Higher Education Act of 1994”. After 30 years since the establishment of CHED based on the recommendations of the first Congressional Commission on Education, EDCOM 2 identified the need to evolve the country’s legal framework for higher education from one focused on regulatory oversight to a more progressive, development-oriented system responsive to a changing global landscape.
The bill introduces significant changes that directly respond to the challenges faced by CHED in the last 30 years, as well as the issues surfaced during EDCOM consultations in higher education. A key feature of the bill is its enhancement of CHED’s institutional capacity by consolidating its quasi-judicial powers to efficiently resolve disputes concerning the establishment, closure, and maintenance of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and their programs. This relates to findings of the EDCOM 2 that, between 2012 and 2022, 77 higher education institutions (HEIs) offering Bachelor of Elementary Education and 105 HEIs offering Bachelor of Secondary Education continued operations despite having consistently zero passing rates in the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET).
Critically, the measure likewise underscores CHED’s developmental role in higher education, providing for powers to strategically guide the higher education system by formulating national plans, collaborating with agencies like DepEd, TESDA, and PRC, broadening student access, and aligning programs with both national development goals and global standards. To implement this, the bill proposes the creation of a new Office for Higher Education Development to spearhead institutional support, facilitate international collaboration, and promote non-traditional pathways such as ladderized education and micro-credentials, ensuring the system is flexible and aligned with national needs. This parallels the establishment of a Faculty Development Fund, which mandates that no less than 5% of CHED’s annual budget be used for scholarships, grants, and training to upgrade the skills of faculty and administrators in public and private institutions alike.
In a strategic shift from the previous law, the bill establishes a modern, typology-based system complemented by differentiated autonomy. This approach allows for the classification of institutions based on their distinct roles and grants greater self-governance to HEIs that consistently demonstrate high quality and accountability. While typology ensures that regulation and support are appropriate for the institution, differentiated autonomy rewards institutional performance with streamlined oversight and greater freedom to innovate, moving the entire system toward world-class standards.
“This bill represents a cohesive and forward-thinking vision for Philippine education,” said Acidre. “By repealing a 30-year-old law, we are not just updating CHED’s charter; we are fundamentally transforming it into a proactive, development-focused agency. The establishment of a dedicated Faculty Development Fund and a system of differentiated autonomy are direct responses to the needs identified during our national assessment at EDCOM 2. With this bill, we are building a more coherent, efficient, and globally competitive tertiary education system for all Filipinos”.
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