SENATOR Loren Legarda has urged her colleagues to extend the mandate of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) for two more years, highlighting the importance of sustaining the momentum of ongoing education reforms.

In her sponsorship speech for Senate Bill No. 1483 under Committee Report No. 7, Legarda called on the Senate to amend Republic Act No. 11899, which created EDCOM II in 2022, to allow the Commission to continue its work until December 2027.

“We are at a moment when progress is within reach. The work has direction. The coordination is in place. The momentum is real. It is only right that we see it through,” Legarda declared.

Legarda praised EDCOM II for its comprehensive and data-driven review of the country’s education system, citing its major reports, Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education and Fixing the Foundations: A Matter of National Survival.

The reports highlighted deep-seated challenges in Philippine education, including a 165,000-classroom backlog, low participation in early childhood programs, persistent textbook shortages, widespread undernutrition among learners, and high dropout rates in higher education.

“These studies describe persistent and systemic deficiencies that require sustained national attention,” Legarda said. “EDCOM II has fulfilled its mandate in a manner that truly honors the intent of Congress.”

Beyond diagnosis, Legarda emphasized that the Commission successfully turned research into action, bringing together national agencies, LGUs, schools, and civil society to implement evidence-based reforms.

According to Legarda, EDCOM II’s work contributed directly to the passage of 10 landmark education laws in the 19th Congress, enhancing access, equity, and quality in education.

The Commission also guided budget priorities, including the ₱1 billion allocation in the 2025 national budget for Child Development Centers in 328 low-income LGUs, and ₱80 million in scholarships for child development workers.

Legarda noted that EDCOM II’s policy recommendations led to the creation of a Tripartite Council among CHED, TESDA, and the Professional Regulation Commission to harmonize curricula and licensure standards, as well as the establishment of the Education and Workforce Development Group under Administrative Order No. 36—a key reform addressing coordination gaps among education agencies.

To date, EDCOM II has commissioned 97 research studies, partnered with 91 organizations, and conducted 44 consultations, 32 hearings, nine site visits, and three benchmarking missions—a testament to its sustained and evidence-based approach.

Legarda credited the Commission’s progress to its Secretariat, led by Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee, and the collaborative work of its Advisory Council and Commissioners from both chambers, including Senators Win Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, and Bam Aquino, as well as former Senators Sonny Angara and Koko Pimentel.

While EDCOM II is expected to submit its final report and the National Education and Workforce Development Plan by December 2025, Legarda stressed that the extension is crucial to ensure its policy recommendations are fully institutionalized.