EDCOM 2: Senate passes resolution urging the President to create a Cabinet Cluster for Education

The Senate of the Philippines today unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 21, urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to establish a dedicated Cabinet Cluster for Education. This move shepherded by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) aims to create a more cohesive and effective governance structure for the nation's education system.

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 21, championed by Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Alan Peter Cayetano, Koko Pimentel III, Joel Villanueva, and Loren Legarda, calls for the formation of a high-level inter-agency body. The cluster will be tasked with ensuring the seamless and coherent implementation of education laws, policies, reforms, and regulations across all involved executive departments and agencies.

"The lack of a unified approach has often led to fragmented policies, duplication of efforts and missed opportunities for synergy among our education agencies. It is in this context that the creation of a cabinet cluster for education becomes crucial," said EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian in his manifestation.

"Sa bawat sulok ng ating bansa, edukasyon ang nagiging susi sa pagbabago. Ngunit upang makamit natin ang tunay na pagbabago, kinakailangan ng isang malinaw at magkakaugnay na plano -- isang direksyon na magtutulak sa atin tungo sa iisang layunin," he concluded.

In her co-sponsorship speech, EDCOM 2 Commissioner Senator Loren Legarda emphasized that the creation of a Cabinet Cluster for Education will not only harmonize strategy across agencies, but also ensure accountability for a truly system-wide response to the education crisis. "By aligning efforts and holding agencies jointly responsible for outcomes, we can guarantee that every centavo spent directly benefits our learners," she said.

"But beyond realignment, this also affirms that education is not merely a sectoral issue, it is the foundation of national development and social equity. When systems remain fragmented, the burden of inefficiency falls heaviest on those who can least afford it--the poorest, the most underserved, and the most vulnerable," she added.

The call for this cluster stems from recommendations in EDCOM 2's Year One report, which highlighted how the absence of an effective coordinating body has led to fragmented efforts, overlapping functions, and critical gaps in areas such as teacher training, early childhood education, and the implementation of the Senior High School and ladderized programs. Since the trifocalization of the education system in the 1990s -- dividing the education agencies into three: the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), EDCOM found that more than 100 interagency bodies have since been created to address coordination challenges, often with limited success.

The proposed Cabinet Cluster is envisioned to be co-chaired by the DepEd Secretary, CHED Chairperson, and TESDA Director-General. It will also involve key agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), among others. Its core responsibilities will include overseeing the full implementation of the National Education and Workforce Development Plan currently being formulated by EDCOM, ensuring system-wide alignment and strategies in targets and budgets, and spearheading initiatives such data harmonization and capacity building, to ensure sustained reforms in education in light of the learning crisis reported by EDCOM.

The passage in the Senate completes the legislative process for the Resolution, which was earlier adopted by the House of Representatives last August 20, 2024, following the filing of the concurrent resolution in both houses of Congress by EDCOM 2 Commissioners last July 2024.

Senator Joel Villanueva, EDCOM 2 Commissioner and former TESDA Secretary also backed the resolution. "The creation of a cabinet cluster in education will significantly enhance and deepen the motivation for collaboration among DepEd, TESDA, and CHED."

"Drawing from my experience as former TESDA Secretary, I have seen firsthand how the actions of one agency can impact the entire education system. Our recent legislative efforts--such as the PQF, EBET, ETEEAP, and the ongoing push for the Lifelong Learning Framework Bill-- highlight the necessity for these agencies to share not only goodwill but also information, resources, and capabilities. And with how Artificial Intelligence impacts our education and job market, these agencies cannot work in silos but must act more collaboratively," he continued in his co-sponsorship speech.

"Without coordination, our education system will keep struggling with fragmented leadership and disconnected reforms. After three decades of a divided system, we need one that moves as one, from early childhood to employment. If we don't act now, our young Filipinos will keep reaping the same old problems -- poor learning outcomes and missed opportunities for a better future," said Senator Alan Cayetano, also an EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson.

Last August 2024, President Marcos had signaled his approval in principle of the EDCOM proposal, while directing the education agencies to expedite the development of a comprehensive 10-year education and workforce development strategy.

"The learning crisis is not something the Department of Education can solve alone. Only a system-wide approach, grounded in evidence and anchored in long-term planning, can meaningfully improve outcomes," said EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee. "This move is consistent with the overdue recommendation of the first EDCOM in the 1990s which proposed, apart from trifocalization, the establishment of a body precisely to ensure regular coordination of the three."

The initiative has garnered widespread support from education stakeholders. National agencies, including DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DBM, DOLE, and DOST, have previously expressed their endorsement, recognizing that the cluster will significantly enhance alignment and ensure that all programs and resources are channeled towards achieving shared national goals.

Other Commissioners from the House of Representatives also expressed their support for the Cabinet Cluster.

EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo stated, "Most of the issues reported by EDCOM 2 - functional literacy crisis, challenges in senior high school, job-skills mismatch, and gaps in teacher specialization - stem from a lack of coordination among the various education departments. The Cabinet Cluster for Education will serve as a vital platform for these agencies to collaborate more closely, ensuring aligned efforts and unified direction under the leadership and guidance of the President."

"Marami na tayong nagawa para sa epektibo at makabuluhang pagtutulungan ng mga ahensya, ngunit marami pang kailangang gawin para mapahusay ang edukasyon, palakasin ang training, at maihanda nang mabuti ang mga kabataan para sa trabaho. This move sets us on the right path, uniting these agencies to plan better, invest smarter, and equip students with the skills they need for stable and in-demand jobs." Rep. Mark Go, also an EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson, said.