KAMANGGAGAWA Partylist Rep. Elijah San Fernando has filed a resolution calling for a congressional investigation into the Commission on Higher Education’s Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education (MORPHE), citing alleged unjust termination of academic personnel and provisions that may contradict labor laws.

In House Resolution No. 410, San Fernando urges the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education to look into reported cases of unjust termination involving teaching professionals in private higher education institutions.

The resolution raises concerns that certain MORPHE policies may undermine workers’ rights, particularly those involving probationary employment and job security.

San Fernando emphasized that the 1987 Constitution mandates full protection for labor and recognizes workers as a primary social and economic force.

The resolution cites constitutional provisions affirming workers’ welfare, alongside the Labor Code’s rule that probationary employment should not exceed six months.

Despite this, MORPHE—adopted in 2008—sets a significantly longer probationary period for academic personnel, requiring up to six consecutive semesters or nine trimesters, roughly equivalent to three years of continuous satisfactory service.

The resolution argues that this contradicts the Labor Code, which caps probationary periods at six months for most employees, including non-teaching personnel in private HEIs.

According to the resolution, MORPHE’s extended probation period leaves teaching personnel vulnerable to non-regularization, with permanent status granted only if faculty members are rehired immediately after completing probation—not automatically upon meeting the required conditions.

This, it says, creates uncertainty and gives school management broad discretion over regularization.

The resolution also cites the case of Jose Mario D. De Vega, an Associate Professor I at National University’s College of Arts, Education, and Sciences.

Despite serving the university for two and a half years and maintaining what the resolution describes as a respected academic record, De Vega was reportedly not given any teaching load for the semester after his last term—effectively ending his employment under MORPHE guidelines.

The alleged dismissal, the resolution notes, is not an isolated case and echoes years of complaints from teachers’ groups about MORPHE’s role in enabling contractualization in private higher education and commodifying the education system.

San Fernando stressed the urgent need to review and amend MORPHE to ensure alignment with labor protections and to safeguard the rights of teaching and non-teaching personnel.

The proposed inquiry aims to identify gaps and inefficiencies in MORPHE’s implementation and recommend remedies that uphold decent work conditions, job security, and social safety nets for academic workers.