Press Release
November 18, 2021

Gatchalian pushes for graduates' global competitiveness

Senator Win Gatchalian is set to file the substitute bill on the proposed Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) which will undertake a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the entire education sector's performance and boost global competitiveness.

EDCOM 2 will review the observance of the mandates of the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for a more harmonized and coordinated education ecosystem. It will also look at the role of digital transformation in education.

"Given the fact that labor markets are becoming increasingly global and workers are able to move from one place to another, quality does not simply equate to meeting locally set standards anymore. Quality now equates to being globally competitive," said Gatchalian in a roundtable discussion hosted by the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies.

"Employment mobility is becoming the norm now. Access and exposure to the internet can get one employed in other countries," he added.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture said EDCOM 2 must address the question: how do we ensure that higher education graduates are globally competitive?

For Gatchalian, boosting global competitiveness among the country's graduates requires aligning the country's qualifications framework to internationally recognized qualification standards. He pointed out how the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) was designed to align with the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework. This is to ensure that graduates are equipped with competencies and skills that would make them globally competitive.

Under Republic Act No. 10968 or the PQF Act, the PQF was institutionalized and established to describe the levels of educational qualifications and set standards for qualification outcomes. The PQF is a quality assured national system for the development, recognition, and awards of qualification based on standards of knowledge, skills, and values acquired in different ways and methods by workers and learners of the country.

Gatchalian said that in the draft substitute bill on EDCOM 2, the commission will be tasked to ensure compliance to the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework, which enables comparisons of education qualifications across participating ASEAN Member States.

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Gatchalian: global competitiveness ng mga graduates dapat iangat

Upang makapagsagawa ng komprehensibong pagsusuri sa buong sektor ng edukasyon at maisulong ang global competitiveness ng mga nagsipagtapos sa bansa, nakatakdang ihain ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang substitute bill ng panukalang Second Congressional Commission on Education o EDCOM 2.

Rerepasuhin ng panukalang EDCOM 2 ang pagtupad sa mandato ng Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), at ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) tungo sa mas maigting na ugnayan sa sektor ng edukasyon. Susuriin din ng naturang panukala ang papel ng digital transformation sa edukasyon.

"Dahil nagiging global na ang labor markets at ang mga nagtatrabaho ay mas madali nang makagalaw sa iba't ibang lugar, ang kalidad ay hindi na lamang katumbas ng pagtupad sa mga locally set standards. Katumbas na ng kalidad ang pagiging globally competitive," pahayag ni Gatchalian sa isang roundtable discussion na isinagawa ng University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies.

"Nagiging normal na ang tinatawag nating employment mobility. Dahil sa internet, mas madali nang magkaroon ng trabaho mula sa ibang bansa," dagdag pa ng senador.

Para sa chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, dapat tugunan ng EDCOM 2 kung paano isusulong ang global competitiveness sa hanay ng mga nagtapos ng kolehiyo.

Upang iangat ang global competitiveness ng mga graduates, dapat tiyakin na akma ang qualifications framework ng bansa sa mga internationally recognized qualification standards, ayon kay Gatchalian. Paliwanag niya, ang Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) ay dinisenyo upang maging akma sa ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework. Ito ay upang tiyakin na ang mga graduates ng bansa ay may taglay na mga kakayahan upang maging globally competitive.

Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 10968 o ang PQF Act, ang PQF ay isang quality assured na sistemang pambansa para sa pagbuo, pagkilala, at paggawad ng mga kwalipikasyon batay sa mga pamantayan ng kaalaman, kakayahan, at mga values na nakamit ng mga manggagawa at mag-aaral ng bansa sa iba't ibang paraan.

Sa draft substitute bill ng EDCOM 2, magiging mandato ng komisyon ang pagtiyak na masusunod ang ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework na nagsisilbing gabay sa paghahambing ng mga educational qualifications sa mga bansa sa ASEAN.

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