SENATOR Joel Villanueva wants uniform guidelines on the creation of local universities and colleges.

He filed Senate Bill 2009 or the proposed Local Universities and Colleges Governance Act, which seeks to rationalize the establishment and operation of LUCs to address quality and excellence in such areas as school administration, facilities, and research and community service.

In his explanatory note, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher and Technical Education said that the Local Government Code empowered local government units to establish and operate specific education institutions.

However, the senator said that the lack of institutionalized guidelines on the establishment of LUCs has taken a toll on the delivery of quality education.

There are 121 LUCs nationwide that cater to more than 200,000 higher education students.

As of 2017, only 18 out of 107 LUCs were recognized by the Commission on Higher Education.

Villanueva’s measure mandates that the establishment of all LUC shoud be through an ordinance duly enacted for that purpose by the Sanggunian.

The LGU shall consult and coordinate with the CHED to ensure full compliance with the mandatory requirements.