Last June 10, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) celebrated the culminating event of its 32nd anniversary in Pasay City.
During the said event, it unveiled major reforms of the agency, as well as bared new scholarship opportunities and inked new strategic partnerships.
The celebration brought together leaders from government, academic, and industry with the goal of addressing workforce gaps, strengthening student welfare, and enhancing the global competitiveness of Philippine higher education.
In her State of Higher Education Address (SOHEA), CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis listed the Commission’s major accomplishments under its ACHIEVE Agenda and outlinrd key priorities for the tertiary education sector
“As CHED marks its 32nd Founding Anniversary and the first year of implementing the ACHIEVE Agenda, we are seeing measurable outcomes across the higher education system,” she stressed. “What began as a reform agenda is now delivering tangible gains for learners, institutions, industries, and communities.”
Among the key initiatives launched during the celebration was the nationwide implementation of Project PAG-IBIG, an initiative that establishes childcare centers in state universities and colleges nationwide.
Under which, CHED aims to support student-parents, faculty members, and university personnel through the availability of quality childcare services within campuses.
There was also the awarding of Technology Business Incubation: AUN SDG-Based Priority Program of CHED, the Higher Education Development Fund Coffee Table Book, anf the unveiling of the Higher Education ACHIEVE Agenda 2030 Booklet.
Several deals with government agencies and education stakeholders were also inked, with the first being the tie-up between CHED and the Department of Health (DOH).
Under their Memorandum of Understanding, they will collaborate in health workforce planning and development to ensure a steady supply of healthcare professionals across the country.
Meanwhile, through the establishment of Learning Initiatives for Nurturing Guidance Associates and Counselors Program (LINGAP), CHED and the Department of Education will provide scholarship opportunities for qualified DepEd personnel pursuing advanced studies in Guidance and Counseling and Psychology.
The said program aims to address the shortage of guidance and counseling professionals in schools in the country.
Together with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), CHED signed updated implementing guidelines that enhance the scholarship benefits and expanding support for beneficiaries of the Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and Their Families (CoScho).
The Cebu Convergence Initiative, meanwhile, the CHED and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), along with participating Technical-Vocational Institutions and Higher Education Institutions, will introduce pilot diploma pathways to develop a skilled workforce for the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Meanwhile, certificates were also awarded to newly approved providers under the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) and Transnational Higher Education (TNHE) providers.
In addition, the Commission also recognized the Medical Scholarship and Return Service (MSRS) scholars who were successful passers and topnotchers of the March 2026 Physician Licensure Examination, and acknowledged the contributions of the partner HEIs in nurturing future physicians.
“The accomplishments we celebrate today are not the work of CHED alone. They are the result of the collective efforts of our partners in government, academia, industry, and the communities we serve,” added Agrupis.
