Gatchalian flags: Around 4 out of 10 TESDA graduates did not undergo assessment

Only 64% of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) graduates for 2022 took assessments for national certifications, Senator Win Gatchalian flagged during a hearing on the agency’s proposed 2024 budget.   Gatchalian also lamented the decreasing targets for the number of Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) graduates that underwent assessment. From a 70% […]

Gatchalian wants more plantilla positions under ECCD Council

Senator Win Gatchalian sought the creation and filling of more plantilla positions under the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council to ensure the effective implementation of ECCD programs in the country.   To date, there are only 15 plantilla positions under the ECCD Council. Gatchalian pointed out that the limited number of plantilla positions […]

Senate approves bill on school-based mental health program

Following the Senate’s third and final reading approval of the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (Senate Bill No. 2200), Senator Win Gatchalian hailed a significant step forward in addressing what he called a pandemic of mental health woes.   Senate Bill No. 2200, which Gatchalian authored and sponsored, seeks to institutionalize the […]

Gatchalian wants learning recovery plan covered in 2024 DepEd budget

To address the learning loss resulting from the COVID-19 school closures, Senator Win Gatchalian wants to ensure that the learning recovery plan is included in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget for fiscal year 2024.   During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on the proposed budget of the DepEd and its attached agencies, Gatchalian […]

Gatchalian eyes universal meal program to address school children’s nutrition woes

Senator Win Gatchalian is eyeing the implementation of a universal meal program to address Filipino school children’s nutrition problems such as stunting, wasting, and undernutrition.   “My dream is to have a universal meal program, ensuring that everyone receives sustenance regardless of their nutritional status, just like what other countries are doing. While it will […]

Gatchalian: Expand SUCs’ capacity to help more students benefit from free college education

Amid calls to review the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (Republic Act No. 10931) or the free higher education law, Senator Win Gatchalian seeks the expansion of State Universities and Colleges’ (SUCs) capacity so that more qualified students can receive free college education.   “Mahalagang hakbang ang pagpapatupad ng libreng kolehiyo upang mabigyan ang […]

Lowering of retirement age for gov’t employees should be sustainable

Senator Win Gatchalian said a proposed measure that would lower the compulsory and optional retirement age for government personnel should entail a careful analysis of how to make the scheme sustainable as majority of public workers are deemed supportive of the proposal.   “It seems everyone supports the reduction of mandatory and compulsory age retirement […]

Gatchalian to quiz DepEd on unfilled teaching positions

Ahead of the Senate deliberations of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposed 2024 budget, Senator Win Gatchalian said he will raise the recurring issues on the hiring of teachers.   Gatchalian has repeatedly urged the DepEd to speed up its hiring process. Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reveals that as of […]