120 educators, researchers gather in Iloilo City for EDSUM 2026

Education Summit 2026 (EDSUM26), one of the featured academic events of this year’s University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Homecoming Week, opens Friday, July 24, at the Graduate and Continuing Education Building (GCEB) Training Rooms.

The two-day event gathers 120 educators, researchers, school leaders, graduate students, guidance practitioners, and education advocates representing more than 40 universities, colleges, campuses, basic education schools, education offices, and government agencies.

Organized by the UP Visayas Master of Education Alumni Association (UPVMEAA) in partnership with the UP Visayas Division of Professional Education and the Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP)-Iloilo Chapter, the summit carries the theme “Reimagining Philippine Education: Equity, Innovation, and Transformative Learning.”

The summit forms part of the broader UP Visayas Homecoming Week, which brings together alumni, educators, professionals, students, and partners through scholarly, cultural, and community engagement activities across the university. Organizers said EDSUM26 reflects the Homecoming’s enduring commitment to lifelong learning, academic excellence, and meaningful collaboration among education stakeholders.

Registration reached the venue’s full capacity days before the opening ceremonies, a response that organizers said reflects the growing demand for professional learning opportunities centered on evidence-informed policy, transformative teaching, educational leadership, and research.

Among the institutions represented are UPV, Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST), West Visayas State University (WVSU), Central Philippine University (CPU), Philippine Normal University Visayas (PNU Visayas), University of Antique, Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISATU), Northern Iloilo State University (NISU), Aklan State University (ASU), Guimaras State University (GSU), PHINMA University of Iloilo, Aklan Catholic College, Iloilo Merchant Marine School (IMMS), Iloilo Doctors’ College, John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU), Western Institute of Technology (WIT), and Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas Campus, together with numerous Department of Education schools and Schools Division Offices, TESDA-affiliated institutions, local government units, and other education partners from across the region.

The Provincial Government of Iloilo, represented by Provincial Administrator Dr. Raul N. Banias and Province Education Management Office Head Freda Sabanal Fajardo, is expected to participate in the morning sessions of the summit’s second day.

The opening day features the Educational Game Conference (GAMECON) and seminar-workshops highlighting game-based learning, creativity, community knowledge, educational technology, and innovative classroom practices. Participants will engage in plenary discussions, concurrent presentations, and hands-on learning sessions designed to strengthen teaching, research, and collaboration across institutions.

As part of the first day’s activities and the ongoing UP Visayas Homecoming Week, the UPVMEAA will also host a Coffee-Tea Party-Kumustahan from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Audiovisual Room on the third floor of the GCEB. Held in an open-house format, the gathering will give UPV Master of Education alumni and faculty a chance to reconnect with former classmates and mentors, celebrate milestones, welcome new members, and strengthen the growing UPVMEAA community.

The second day, Saturday, July 25, will center on education policy and research, opening with keynote and plenary addresses by UP Visayas Chancellor Dr. Clement C. Camposano, EDCOM II Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark R. Yee, and University of the Philippines System Faculty Regent Prof. Early Sol A. Gadong.

EDCOM II, created under Republic Act 11899 in 2022, has spent the past three years conducting a comprehensive review of the Philippine education system, and its findings have flagged persistent gaps in learning outcomes, teacher support, and governance — concerns expected to frame much of the second day’s discussion.

Together, the three speakers are expected to tackle education reforms, curriculum innovation, inclusive education, transformative learning, and leadership in Philippine education. The plenary sessions will culminate in a moderated couch talk and open forum, where participants will have the opportunity to engage the three speakers in a dialogue on the country’s most pressing educational issues and the future of teaching, learning, and educational leadership.

Thirty-five researcher-participants will also take part in three parallel tracks on Culture as Enabler of Transformative Learning; Pre- and In-Service Teaching and Learning and Educational Leadership; and Didactics and Innovative Teaching and Learning Materials, providing opportunities to share research, exchange best practices, and develop partnerships that extend beyond the two-day gathering.

According to UPVMEAA President Dr. Herman M. Lagon, EDSUM26 is envisioned as more than a venue for presentations and academic discussions. He said the summit aims to bring together educators from different backgrounds who share a common purpose of improving the lives of Filipino learners through equitable, innovative, and transformative education. Lagon expressed hope that participants would return to their respective institutions not only with fresh ideas and stronger professional networks but also with a renewed commitment to become educational leaders who are socially responsive, technologically adaptive, and grounded in service to their communities.

For EDSUM26 Summit Chairperson Dr. Alexander J. Balsomo, the two-day gathering was intentionally designed to bridge research, educational policy, and classroom practice. He said every plenary, workshop, and parallel session was carefully planned to encourage meaningful conversations, practical learning, and collaboration among educators from different institutions. More than the number of participants or presentations, Balsomo said, the summit’s success would ultimately be measured by how the ideas, partnerships, and insights gained during the event translate into better teaching, stronger leadership, and improved learning experiences for students long after the summit concludes.

The summit has received support and endorsements from the Department of Education Regional Office VI, the Regional Association of State Universities and Colleges (RASUC VI), several Schools Division Offices, and higher education institutions, underscoring its significance as one of the region’s major professional development gatherings for educators.

More than an academic conference, organizers envision EDSUM26 as a platform where educators from diverse backgrounds and disciplines can build lasting partnerships, exchange ideas grounded in research, and work together toward a more equitable, innovative, and future-ready Philippine education system. (UPVMEAA)