Senator Sherwin Gatchalian clarified that his proposed Three-Year College Education Act is not meant to cut government costs, but to help parents save on their children’s education expenses.
In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Gatchalian explained that reducing college programs to three years would lower expenses related to transportation, dorm rent, school projects, and field trips. “This isn’t for the government to save money—it’s so parents can save,” he emphasized.
He pointed out that students often repeat subjects in college that were already covered earlier, citing Physical Education as an example. “Parents pay for four semesters of PE, which students already had in elementary and high school. That time could be better spent on specialization,” he said.
Gatchalian’s Three-Year College Education Act is among his key legislative priorities in the 20th Congress. The bill empowers the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to streamline degree programs to a maximum of three years.
Under the proposal, general education subjects will be fully integrated into senior high school to better prepare students for college-level work. The measure also aims to allow students more time for hands-on internships and specialized training in their chosen fields.