EDCOM II chief to headline Iloilo education summit
Second Congressional Commission on Education Executive Director Karol Mark Yee will headline Education Summit 2026 on July 24–25 at the Graduate and Continuing Education Building of the University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City. The summit will bring discussions on the future of Philippine education and the latest findings on education reform to Western
Second Congressional Commission on Education Executive Director Karol Mark Yee will headline Education Summit 2026 on July 24–25 at the Graduate and Continuing Education Building of the University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City.
The summit will bring discussions on the future of Philippine education and the latest findings on education reform to Western Visayas.
The UP Visayas Master of Education Alumni Association is organizing the two-day summit in partnership with the UP Visayas Division of Professional Education and the Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines–Iloilo Chapter.
The summit carries the theme “Reimagining Philippine Education: Equity, Innovation, and Transformative Learning” and forms part of the UP Visayas Homecoming Week celebration.
Yee heads the technical secretariat of EDCOM II, the congressional body tasked with assessing the country’s education system and recommending evidence-based policy reforms.
He earned his doctorate from the University of Cambridge as a Jardine Foundation and Cambridge Trust scholar.
According to the organizers, Yee is also a faculty member at Ateneo de Manila University, an adjunct associate professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, a research fellow at the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies, and a research affiliate of the Program for Research on Private Higher Education at the State University of New York at Albany.
Before leading EDCOM II, Yee served as executive director IV of the Commission on Higher Education and directed its K to 12 Transition Program.
He also worked with the Philippine Senate’s education committee and led YouthWorks PH, a five-year youth empowerment and workforce development initiative implemented by the Philippine Business for Education in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Yee’s keynote address is expected to discuss EDCOM II’s findings and reform agenda, particularly in educational leadership, curriculum improvement, equity, innovation, and evidence-informed policymaking.
UP System Faculty Regent Early Sol A. Gadong and UP Visayas Chancellor Clement C. Camposano will also deliver keynote presentations during the summit.
EDCOM II was created under Republic Act 11899 in 2022 to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Philippine education and recommend targeted reforms.
Republic Act 12315, signed March 4, 2026, extended the commission’s work by two years to continue research, consultations, and oversight of national education and workforce development plans.
The summit has received endorsements from the Department of Education Regional Office VI, the Regional Association of State Universities and Colleges VI, and the schools division offices of Iloilo province, Iloilo City, Roxas City, and Antique.
Several higher education institutions have also endorsed the event.
According to the organizers, the endorsements encourage qualified faculty members, school leaders, researchers, guidance practitioners, graduate students, and education professionals to participate.
Attendance must not disrupt classroom instruction, school operations, or existing DepEd policies and regulations.
Participation remains subject to the approval of the appropriate school authorities and applicable service requirements.
The organizers said the growing support reflects a shared commitment among education stakeholders to strengthen professional learning, promote research-informed practices, and deepen collaboration between the basic and higher education sectors.
EDSUM 2026 aims to provide a collaborative platform where educators, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners can exchange ideas, address pressing education issues, and explore innovative and equitable approaches to improving Philippine education.
Registration remains open to faculty members, school heads, supervisors, guidance counselors, curriculum specialists, local government education personnel, graduate students, researchers, and other education professionals while slots are available.
Participants will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Interested participants may register at http://bit.ly/EDSUM26RegistrationSubmission.
The summit primer and endorsement request template are available at https://bit.ly/EDSUM26_Primer.
For inquiries, participants may contact the EDSUM 2026 Secretariat at 0945-264-2938 or email upvmeaa@gmail.com. (UPVMEAA)
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