Abdiel Franz Bernales

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a bill seeking to trim college education from four to three years and rationalize the senior high school (SHS) program.


Gatchalian filed his measure on June 22, adding that this was among his priority bills for the 20th Congress.

He also added that it is high time Congress fulfills its promise of reducing the number of college years after passing the K to 12 program, which added two years in senior high school.

“When the 20th Congress opens, I intend to file a bill that will shorten college education depending on the program,” Gatchalian said.

Dubbed the Three-Year College Education Act, it seeks to authorize the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to allow flexibility for degree programs to be completed in a span of three academic years, and the senator said his measure seeks explicitly to empower CHED to allow flexibility for degree programs to be completed in not more than three academic years.

“The duration of programs, however, should still be based on assessed industry needs, international standards, or benchmarks, and recognized best practices,” said Gatchalian.

Under the proposed measure, Gatchalian emphasized that the General Education courses shall be integrated and completed at the senior high school level.

This proposal was borne from the Second Congressional Commission on Education’s findings, which revealed that college programs in the Philippines are General Education-heavy and internship-light.
It also seeks to ensure students’ college readiness and provide more time for internships and advanced specialization.

“When we added two more years in high school, we promised the people that years in college would be trimmed down. Maybe it’s time to fulfill this promise,” Gatchalian said. 

Further, Gatchalian’s statement comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. admitted Wednesday that the K-12 program, implemented in 2012, failed to equip Filipino students for employment despite the additional years.

He left it to Congress to decide whether to amend or repeal the K-12 law entirely.

Gatchalian recalled that during the deliberations on the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (RA 10533) or the K to 12 Law, it was promised that two more years of high school would result in fewer years of college and pointed out that this has not materialized.

The Year Two Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) flagged low proficiency levels among SHS students based on below-proficient National Achievement Test (NAT) 2022 scores for Grade 12.