SENATOR Loren Legarda was conferred an honorary Doctor of Education degree, Major in Educational Management, Honoris Causa, by Nueva Vizcaya State University on Friday, in recognition of her decades-long commitment to education reform and national transformation.

This marks the third honorary doctorate awarded to Legarda by leading state universities.

In 2018, the University of the Philippines granted her a Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, for her service as a lawmaker, journalist, and advocate for social justice, human rights, peace, cultural diversity, environmental protection, education, and inclusive development.

Earlier this year, the University of Antique conferred its first-ever Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa, on Legarda, recognizing her roots as a proud daughter of Antique and her transformative contributions to both the university and the nation.

“To be conferred this degree is to be entrusted with a responsibility larger than oneself,” Legarda said in her acceptance speech.

“It affirms the truth that education is the most powerful tool we possess to dismantle inequality, empower communities, and shape a nation that is truly free and just,” she added.

As a four-term senator and Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, Legarda stressed that education has been at the heart of her legislative work.

She cited key laws she authored and co-sponsored, including the Enhanced Basic Education Act, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, the National Environmental Awareness and Education Act, and the Integrated History Act.

She also pointed to reforms advanced under the Second Congressional Commission on Education, which she co-chairs. These include the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act, the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, and the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program Act—measures aimed at addressing the country’s learning crisis and fostering safe, nurturing school environments.

Legarda further emphasized bridging education and employment through measures such as the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act and the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program Act, which provides flexible pathways for adult learners to complete their college degrees.

In honor of Filipino teachers, she highlighted two recently enacted measures: the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, which raises the teaching allowance to ₱10,000 starting 2025, and the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act, which modernizes promotion systems for educators.

“Para sa inyo ito, Ma’am at Sir, at sa lahat ng dakilang guro sa bansa,” she said.

Legarda also renewed her call for proper funding and accountability in higher education.

As Senate finance chair in 2017, she allocated ₱8 billion to jumpstart free higher education even before the law’s passage. Currently, she is pushing to correct ₱12.3 billion in deficiencies owed to state universities and colleges, vowing to resolve the gap beginning with the 2026 national budget.

“This degree is not mine alone,” she concluded. “It honors the teachers who give more than they have, the parents who sacrifice, and the students who persevere despite hardship. When we invest in learning, we invest in the power of our nation to transform itself.”