CLARK FREEPORT ZONE — Congress is pushing stronger legislative support for universities and colleges to expand access to higher education and ensure institutions remain responsive to the needs of Filipino students.
Speaking during the Commission on Higher Education’s Higher Education Summit 2026 in Clark, House Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chairperson and Tingog Party List Representative Jude Acidre stressed that education policies have a direct impact on the lives of students and families.
“Behind every bill in Congress is a student sitting in a classroom trying to make sense of a difficult lesson,” he said.
Acidre noted that discussions in Congress often focus on policies, reforms, and institutional systems, but these ultimately determine whether students are given opportunities to learn and succeed.
“When we speak about education, we are never speaking only about systems and institutions. We are speaking about lives, about hopes, about the quiet aspirations that families carry every single day,” he added.
Acidre said strengthening higher education remains a key legislative priority, noting that his committee has proposed a 10-point higher education agenda aimed at supporting the continued growth and transformation of universities and colleges.
The agenda includes measures to strengthen institutional governance so universities remain accountable and capable of long-term planning, expand access to higher education for students from different regions, and improve higher education financing.
It also promotes stronger collaboration between academic institutions and industries to ensure graduates are better prepared and has developed skills relevant to the country’s economic and technological needs.
Acidre said the agenda likewise supports faculty development, research initiatives, digital innovation in teaching and learning, and sustained public investment in higher education.
According to him, these initiatives are essential to ensure that universities and colleges continue to nurture the potential of Filipino students and prepare them to contribute to national development.
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