SENATOR Loren Legarda has filed a measure seeking to simplify the transfer process for college students by ensuring the timely release of academic records and the fair recognition of academic credits earned from previous institutions.

Senate Bill No. 2105, or the proposed College Transfer and Learner Mobility Act, aims to remove barriers faced by students transferring between higher education institutions through the establishment of a National Credit Transfer and Learner Mobility Framework.

The proposed framework would standardize credit recognition across colleges and universities while making transfer procedures more transparent, consistent, and student-friendly.

In her explanatory note, Legarda said that although education is a constitutional right, many students continue to face delays in securing academic records, inconsistent credit recognition policies, and, in some cases, the outright rejection of academic units they have already completed.

She cited the Final Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which found that weaknesses in the country’s qualifications framework and governance have continued to hinder learner mobility despite the enactment of the Philippine Qualifications Framework Act in 2017.

According to Legarda, these obstacles often force students to extend their years in school, shoulder higher education costs, or abandon their studies altogether.

Under the proposed measure, higher education institutions would be required to promptly release academic records and adopt fair, transparent, and timely credit recognition policies based on the principle of substantial equivalence.

The bill also directs the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to establish a National Credit Transfer and Learner Mobility Framework aligned with the Philippine Qualifications Framework and international best practices.

Legarda said the measure seeks to protect students’ academic progress by ensuring that completed coursework is recognized when they transfer schools or pursue flexible, blended, online, or other emerging modes of learning.

She emphasized that the proposal respects academic freedom and institutional autonomy, stressing that it does not require schools to lower their academic standards. Instead, decisions on credit recognition should be based on learning outcomes and clearly communicated to transferring students.

The senator said institutionalizing transparent and equitable credit recognition policies would strengthen learner mobility and help build a more efficient, inclusive, and student-centered higher education system.

Legarda urged Congress to pass the bill, saying it would enable students to pursue higher education without unnecessary academic and administrative hurdles.