By Lade Jean Kabagani
Copyright tribune
Senator Loren Legarda on Friday vowed to continue pushing stronger education reforms after recently being conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Education, Major in Educational Management, Honoris Causa by Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU), in recognition of her enduring commitment to education reform and national development.This marks Legarda’s third honorary doctorate from a state university. In 2018, she received a Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa from the University of the Philippines, and earlier this year, she was conferred the Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa by the University of Antique, her home province.“To be conferred this degree is to be entrusted with a responsibility larger than oneself,” Legarda said in her acceptance speech. “It affirms the truth that education is the most powerful tool we possess to dismantle inequality, empower communities, and shape a nation that is truly free and just,” she added. As a four-term senator and the current Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, Legarda emphasized that education has always been at the heart of her legislative work.“Every measure I have authored or sponsored forms part of a larger design to secure the continuum of the Filipino learner’s journey—from early childhood to higher education, and to the unending pursuit of knowledge,” she said.She cited key education-related laws she authored or co-authored, including Republic Act (RA) 10533 – Enhanced Basic Education Act; RA 10931 – Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education; RA 9512 – National Environmental Awareness and Education Act; and RA 10908 – Integrated History Act, promoting the country’s plural identity.Legarda also highlighted recent legislative reforms under the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), where she serves as co-chairperson. These include RA 12199 – Early Childhood Care and Development System Act; RA 12080 – Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act; and RA 12028 – ARAL Program Act, addressing learning loss and education equity. She also underscored the need to bridge education and employment through measures such as RA 12063 – Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act and RA 12124 – Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act for adult learners.In a heartfelt tribute to Filipino educators, Legarda highlighted her authorship and support for RA 11997 – Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, increasing teachers’ annual allowance to P10,000 starting 2025; and RA 12288 – Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act, removing outdated promotion barriers.“Para sa inyo ito, Ma’am at Sir, at sa lahat ng dakilang guro sa bansa (These are for youMa’am at Sir, and to all our legendary teachers nationwide),” Legarda said, addressing the nation’s teachers.She also stressed the importance of education funding, recalling how she allocated P8 billion for free higher education in 2017 even before the enabling law was passed. Legarda is pushing to correct P12.3 billion in funding deficiencies owed to state universities and colleges, vowing that “beginning with the 2026 General Appropriations Act, this shortfall will no longer be allowed to stand.”Legarda closed her speech by dedicating the honorary degree to teachers, parents, and students across the country.“This degree is not mine alone. It honors the teachers who give more than they have, the parents who sacrifice, and the students who persevere despite hardship. When we invest in learning, we invest in the power of our nation to transform itself,” she stressed.
