PASIG City Rep. Roman Romulo has filed a measure seeking to address long-standing fragmentation in the country’s education system by establishing a centralized body that will harmonize policies and reforms across key education and workforce agencies.

House Bill No. 9006, or the proposed National Coordinating Council for Education Act, was introduced by Romulo, who serves as co-chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).

The measure seeks to create a permanent inter-agency council under the Office of the President that will direct, coordinate, and monitor education and workforce development initiatives across the executive branch.

Romulo stressed the need to unify the country’s three main education agencies—the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)—into a more integrated system.

“It is both critical and long overdue for DepEd, CHED, and TESDA to operate as a single, coherent system,” Romulo said. “Fragmentation must give way to convergence to ensure equitable access to quality education for all Filipinos.”

The proposal builds on findings of EDCOM II, which identified systemic governance issues as a major contributor to the country’s learning crisis, alongside gaps in programs and implementation.

The commission noted that the current trifocalized structure has led to policy inconsistencies, duplication of efforts, and weak accountability mechanisms across the education sector.

Under the bill, the National Coordinating Council for Education (NCCE) will be chaired by the President of the Philippines, with the option to designate a Cabinet secretary as vice chairperson.

It will bring together senior officials from DepEd, CHED, TESDA, the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The council will be tasked with formulating and updating a National Education and Workforce Development Plan, aligning targets, funding, and priorities across agencies. It will also oversee the implementation of major reforms, including recommendations from EDCOM II.

In addition, it will develop a comprehensive human resource plan for teaching and non-teaching personnel, strengthen labor market information systems, and establish an interoperable data platform to track learner progress across institutions.

Romulo said the proposal aims to improve accountability and efficiency by consolidating coordination mechanisms, eliminating redundant structures, and instituting a results-based monitoring framework.

Once enacted, the bill is expected to enhance policy coherence and help ensure that education reforms translate into measurable learning improvements and better employment outcomes for Filipino students.