SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has formally filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into reports of foreign students in Cagayan allegedly paying up to P2 million for degrees.

In filing Proposed Senate Resolution No. 1007, Gatchalian aims to determine the veracity of the allegations, which University of the Philippines professor Chester Cabalza revealed. Cabalza, the founding president of the think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, also reported that some of these students do not attend their classes.

Gatchalian earlier urged the Commission on Higher Education to investigate such reports.

For its part, the Commission implored Cabalza to formalize a complaint before initiating an investigation as CHED has not received any complaints of violation committed by any higher education institution in Cagayan.

The senator also reiterated his stand that while he strongly supports internationalization, he opposes the proliferation of practices that will tarnish the reputation of Philippine higher education institutions, and brand them as diploma mills.

“Bagama’t hinihikayat natin ang mga mag-aaral mula sa ibang bansa na mag-aral sa ating mga kolehiyo at pamantasan, hindi natin dapat palagpasin ang pagbebenta ng mga degree o diploma na dapat pinagpapaguran,” said Gatchalian.

“Kailangang managot kung sinuman ang mapapatunayang sangkot sa pagbebenta ng mga diploma. Hindi ito ang isinusulong nating dekalidad na edukasyon sa bansa,” Gatchalian added.

Rules on the entry and stay of foreign students in the Philippines are governed by Executive Order No. 285, s. 2000 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and Joint Memorandum Order No. 01, s. 2017 of the Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students.