SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian filed a measure that seeks to establish guidelines on the establishment and operation of local universities and colleges.

Senate Bill 2445 or the Local Universities and Colleges Governance Act requires a local government unit to obtain institutional recognition from the Commission on Higher Education prior to the enactment of an ordinance creating an local university or college.

This would ensure that LUCs meet the minimum standards for quality education.

The senator said CHEd found that nearly three in every 10 LUCs operate without institutional recognition.

Gatchalian said there has been a growing demand for higher education in the country and the increase in the number of LUCs has addressed this demand.

He added concerns have been raised regarding governance, sustainability and quality standards in local institutions.

He said that the Philippine Institute for Development Studies has found that the leadership in LUCs is weakened by the three-year election cycle, leading to policy discontinuity, insufficient resource management and ineffective investment strategies