"WE have built an education system that is not performing according to what it should be reaching," Mr. Karlo Abadines, Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan Executive Director, said during "Elected: An Electoral Forum on Education for Change," organized by the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) and in partnership with the Junior Bedan Law Circle last Apr. 21 at the Tugade Auditorium. 

     The event was attended by electoral candidates: Mr. Michael Alexander Ang, EdukAksyon Partylist First Nominee, Hon. France Castro, from ACT Teachers Partylist running as a Senatorial Candidate, Atty. Chel Diokno, Akbayan Partylist First Nominee, and Atty. Erin Tañada, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Third Nominee. 

Voter Empowerment

     Abadines discussed how the ayuda culture is fueled by political dynasties, preferring the citizens to ask for assistance personally instead of directly addressing the problem for all. In this election, he invites professors and students to cast their votes for those left behind sectors. "Good people will always lose to the politicians who are capable of releasing billions to win an election," he said, calling on the students to campaign for these candidates, for this is their power beyond voting. 

COCOPEA Education Agenda 

     Prior to the forum, COCOPEA posted on its Facebook page the clarion call for a robust education agenda directed to National and Local candidates for the May 2025 Midterm Elections. COCOPEA urges its candidates to lead the country in implementing the five-point educational agenda.

     The educational agenda includes: recognition of the indispensable role of private education in solving the learning crisis, promotion of access to quality education by empowering student and parent choice of schools across all levels of education, protection of reasonable supervision, regulation, and academic freedom through accountability systems, support of teachers and faculty in private education, and enhancing the role of the private education sector in character development and student discipline. 

Quick Responses from the Candidates 

     "This is all about academic freedom, this is about leveling the playing field," Mr. Ang mentioned, proposing a proper bill or law to equalize the disparities in the educational system. He also suggested creating subsidies that can be given directly to teachers to minimize the migration of private school teachers to public schools.

     Hon. Castro plans to initiate increasing the salaries of teachers to meet their cost of living. The Makabayan bloc senatorial candidate also communicated her disagreement with a metric system as a basis for an increased salary because of the teachers' situation. "Kailangan talaga nagkakaroon ng tulungan," she emphasized the equal roles of public and private schools in improving their expertise, methods, and strategies.

     The third candidate invited was Atty. Diokno highlighted the need for the government to support the educational sector more. "We have to begin by accepting and recognizing that we have an education crisis," he said. The Akbayan Partylist First Nominee proposes increasing the budget and creating a Deputy Ombudsman for Education and Social Services to ensure proper tracking of allocated funds and hold officials accountable. Furthermore, Atty. Diokno shared his support for teaching Human Rights and Voter Literacy in basic education. 

     "If the government does not view education as a key to further develop our economy, then we will have a big problem," Atty. Tañada said, emphasizing that access to education is one of the main issues. He considers that the real solution is not free tuition fees but to provide education to all, and he asks whether or not degrees are essential to finding work. In contrast to the others, Tanada agrees with implementing a metric system to remove politics in the educational sector. 

     Atty. John Jacome, COCOPEA Managing Director, served as the moderator for this segment. “To effectively tackle pressing national issues, the education agenda should be at the forefront of electoral discourse,” he said. Jacome concluded the segment by reminding the audience to assess and elect deserving candidates who will truly implement the five-point educational agenda. 

     "Education is not just a sector, it is a cornerstone of our nation's future," Dr. Betty Cernol-McCann, President of the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities, concluded. She urges professors and students to make informed choices in the upcoming elections and expresses her appreciation to educators for providing an avenue for civic engagement.