SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing a measure aimed at improving the quality of education and strengthening the governance of Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) across the country.

Citing data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education, Gatchalian said enrollment in LUCs rose sharply from around 343,000 in 2021 to 493,000 in 2023, marking a 44-percent increase.

The senator noted that LUCs have become the fastest-growing segment among higher education institutions in the Philippines, highlighting their growing role in providing accessible tertiary education to students.

Despite the surge in enrollment, Gatchalian stressed the importance of ensuring that LUCs comply with the standards set by the Commission on Higher Education.

He pointed out that while 101 LUCs have already secured institutional recognition from CHED, around 59 remain unrecognized, raising concerns over education quality and regulatory compliance.

Gatchalian also underscored that LUCs without institutional recognition are not qualified to receive funding under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which provides free higher education in state and local institutions.

To address these issues, Gatchalian filed Senate Bill No. 623, or the Local Universities and Colleges Governance Act, which seeks to establish a clear framework for the creation and operation of LUCs while ensuring compliance with CHED requirements.

“We’ll encourage the establishment of LUCs, but we’ll make sure that from the onset, of quality na sila,” Gatchalian said.