Asian Journal of Distance Education

http://www.AsianJDE.org
2013 The Asian Society of Open and Distance Education
ISSN 1347-9008 Asian J D E 2013 vol 11, no 1, pp 59 - 77

Current Challenges and Prospects facing Distance

Education in the Philippines
Dr. Ralph A. SABIO
St. Scholasticas College Manila, Philippines
alsabio@yahoo.com
Dr. Cecilia J. SABIO
Gulf College of Oman, Oman
ceejay_sabio@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT :
In today's globalization and rapid technological advancements, dramatic changes have
been happening in higher education, e.g. the dearth of resources for classroom-based
instruction, the development of the open and distance learning philosophy, the need to
service the needs of adult learners and many other factors which are the reality in the
Philippines today. As a consequence, higher education institutions have been increasingly
flexible to adjust their delivery system in an effort to respond to these changes. Distance
Education (DE) has emerged as a legitimate alternative learning system (ALS) to the more
traditional educational system in a number of higher education institution (HEIs) in the
Philippines.
Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article XIV mandates that quality education at
every level should be made accessible to all Filipinos, including self-learning, independent,
and out-of-school youth programs. Thus, the Open University systems and distance
education ideology has proliferated in the Philippines over recent years especially in the last
two (2) decadesw. This is considered as one of the most rapidly growing fields and means of
education; such that it changes the approaches used; the delivery system; faculty
requirements; and the need to respond to the rare breed of students which are being catered
to by this type of educational arrangement. The objective of this paper is to assess how
distance education/open learning evolved in the Philippines and see how it responds to
making education accessible and flexible to many Filipinos. The laws/issuances given by the
government will also be looked into to determine how the government supports this new
educational philosophy. Further, this research will look into the characteristics of learners
studying in some distance education institutions. Generally, this paper will look into current
trends, challenges and prospects in DE in the Philippines.
Key words: distance education, open learning, adult learners, adult education, higher
education institutions
A.
BASIC
FACTS
PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

with little variation between males and

females. During the Spanish colonial era,
only the elite population had access to
education. After the United States gained
control of the Philippines in 1898, a strong
emphasis was placed on public education.
The idea that free and compulsory
education would democratize society took

ABOUT

Education in the Philippines is free and

compulsory for children ages 6 through 12.
Filipino and English are the primary
languages of instruction. The literacy rate
is 98.7 percent of the adult population,

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ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

hold in the Philippines. English replaced
Spanish as the language of instruction and
as the national medium of communication.
Since independence in 1946, the Philippine
government has opened schools in even the
remotest areas. Literacy rates in some
languages have slowly improved. However,
significant differences in quality of
education continue to exist between rural
and urban areas. Virtually all children aged
6 to 12 are enrolled in school and
attendance is compulsory. Enrollment for
ages 13 through 16 is 78 percent. At the
university level, enrollment stands at 28
percent of the relevant age group.
(Microsoft Encarta, 2003).
In 2010, CHED reported that there were
1,573 private institutions and 607 state-run
colleges and universities, a total of 2,180.
The Public Higher Education Institutions
(HEIs) include: 110 State Universities and
Colleges (SUCs) main campuses, 388
satellite campuses, 93 Local Universities
and Colleges (LUCs), 10 Other Government
Schools (OGS), 1 CHED Supervised
Institution (CSI) (CHED-ARMM) and 5
special HEIs. HEIs in the Philippines are
classified according to (1) Private HEIs,
which are established under the Corporation

Code and are governed by special laws and

general provisions of such Code; (2) SUCs
which are chartered public higher education
institutions established by law, administered
and financially subsidized by the
government; (3) LUCs which are those
established by the local government through
resolutions or ordinances. LUCs are
financially supported by the local
government concerned; (4) CSI is nonchartered public post-secondary education
institution established by law, administered,
supervised and financially supported by
government; and (5) OGS ) which are
public secondary and post-secondary
education institutions, usually technicalvocational education institutions that offer
higher education programs (CHED, 2011).
In School Year 2008-2009, more than 2.6
million students were enrolled in various
higher education institutions (as reflected in
Table 1 below). . Like other Asian
countries, the Philippines has relied on
private institutions to increase higher
education opportunities and, at the turn of
the century, had a higher proportion of its
students in private higher education than
any other country.

Table 1. Enrolment in Tertiary Level of Education, by Sex: Academic Years 2004-2009

Taken from the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016

Private institutions are funded from
capital investments, contributions, tuition
fees and other school charges, grants, loans,
subsidies, and other income sources in
accordance with government legislation.
While they are fairly autonomous, they
have to apply for permission from the
CHED to open new courses and for

authorization to graduate their students.

Each higher education institution adopts a
certain admission policy beyond the general
requirement that all candidates have to be
graduates of secondary education. Some
institutions require passing an entrance
exam and a medical examination; others
adopt open admission, but selective
retention.

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SABIO & SABIO

Despite budget limitations and some
constraints, still most Filipinos regard
education as a primary avenue for
upward social and economic mobility.
Middle-class parents make many
sacrifices to provide secondary and
higher education for their children.
Hence, some traditional institutions or
conventional universities and colleges are
beginning to resort to provide a more
accessible and flexible types of teachinglearning process, that is, through the use
of unconventional means e.g. distance
education and open learning.

Though the Philippine Constitution

has mandated that the government
allocate the highest proportion of its
budget to education, the Philippines still
has one of the lowest budget allocations
to education among the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Despite the nominal increase in the
education budget over recent years, state
spending on education has actually
declined when compared to the Gross
Domestic Product, representing just a
third
of
the
United
Nations
recommended national investment on
education
(Quismundo,
2012).
According to Education Secretary State
spending in 1997 hit a high of 3.2
percent of the countrys GDP, higher
than the current level of 2.1 percent. In
1998, the national education budget was
2.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP). In terms of the higher education
budget, as a result of a Congressional
initiative in 1997, its share increased
sharply from 2.4 percent in 1987 to 15
percent in 1997. However, following
the Asian economic crisis, its budget
(DepED and SUCs) decreased from
P17,166 ($1,415) million in 1998 to
P16,759 ($1,382) million in 2000.

B.
OPEN AND DISTANCE
LEARNING IN THE PHILIPPINES
AND ITS LEGAL BASES
It was during the last two (2) decades that
the concept of distance education, open
learning, alternative learning systems
(ALS) was officially introduced in higher
education (and even in the basic
education) in the Philippines. In fact, the
first issuance from the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) about it came
out in the year 2000. However, as early
as 1987, when the new constitution has to
be put in place (as a consequence of
people power revolution in 1986), the
concept of non-formal education, selflearning, independent learning/study
programs was already introduced to
respond to the call to make education
accessible to many Filipinos. The
evolution of laws and issuances that
relates to distance education, open
learning and alternative learning system
and recently the concept of transnational
education in higher education; is best
illustrated in the following figure:

On the other hand, Sabater (2012),

in her write-up in Manila Bulletin
states that education will get the biggest
budget allocation in the 2013 proposed
national budget at 14.6% of the total
budget of P2.006 trillion or P293.7
billion. This is 23.4% more than its
current budget for 2012. However,
despite the increase in the education
budget, the Philippine education
spending still falls below UN standard.
The current education budget is P238.8
billion, higher than last years P207
billion but lower if taken as a ratio of
GDP. Last years budget was 2.3
percent of GDP, a benchmark used
globally to gauge how much
governments spend on education. The
UN recommends that governments
spend at least six percent of their GDP
on education (Quismundo, 2012).

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ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

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SABIO & SABIO

In Philippine basic education, the Medium
Term Philippine Development Plan
(MTPDP) 2004-2010 (which provides the
blueprint of every administrations future
plans to implement a continuing
integrated and coordinated programs and
policies for national development) name
among its goals, strategies and action
plans; the installation of distance learning
system in conflict-affected areas.
Distance learning is an alternative
delivery mode (ADM) that reaches out to
learners in underserved, high-risk and
disadvantaged areas. Distance learning
shall, thus, be adopted to provide children
and youth in difficult circumstances,
particularly those in conflict-affected
areas, with education services to ensure
that they continue schooling during and
after the crisis situation.
To facilitate this, the following activities
shall be carried out:
a. DepEd shall expand its existing
Strong Republic Schools - Distance
Learning
Program,
mediabased
instruction and computer-assisted
learning program;
b. Alternative delivery modes of schooling
like the In-School and Out-School
Adults or ISOSA program, mobile
teaching, multigrade teaching and
distance teaching shall also be
institutionalized. The Project IMPACT
(Instructional
Management
by
Parents, Community and Teachers)
catering to areas with overcrowded
classrooms and teacher shortage shall
be expanded;
c. DepEd shall also institutionalize
Special Education programs and
establish functional networking with
other distance learning providers;
x x x
In terms of Higher Education, alternative
learning system (ALS)/Delivery Modes
for Higher Education was likewise named
as among the goals and strategies and
action plans which the government will
pursue in the years 2004-2010,
specifically, it states that:
Higher education programs via distance
learning shall be developed and improved.

The coverage of the ETEEAP shall be

broadened. Under the ETEEAP, people
who have not finished college but have
considerable experience and competencies
acquired from informal and nonformal
provision could earn a degree through
accreditation of their prior learning.
C. DEFINITION OF DISTANCE
EDUCATION/OPENLEARNING/
TRANSNATIONAL
EDUCATION
AND ALTERNATIVE LEARNING
SYSTEM (ALS) IN THE PHILIPPINE
CONTEXT
Several issuances from CHED have
defined distance education, open learning,
alternative
learning
system
and
transnational education over the last
couple of years. Such definition is
embodied in the CMOs specified above
in the legal basis, to wit
(1)Open Learning and Distance
Education (OL/DE) are alternative
systems of education. They emphasize
the opening of opportunities by
overcoming barriers that result from
geographical isolation, personal or
work commitments or conventional
course structures which have often
prevented people from realizing their
educational goals (Section 6, CMO 35
s.2000)
(2)Open Learning (OL) is a philosophy
of learning that is learner-centered
and flexible, enabling learners to learn
at the time, place and pace which
satisfies their circumstances and
requirements. (Section 7, CMO 35
s.2000)
(3)Distance Education (DE) is a mode of
educational delivery whereby teacher
and learner are separated in time and
space and instruction is delivered
through specially designed materials
and methods and supported by
organizational and administrative
structures and arrangements (Section
8, CMO 35 s.2000; No. 11 Article II.
Definition of Terms, CMO 2 s. 2008;
Section 11 (1), Art. III. CMO 40
S.2008)

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ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

(4)Distance Education students refers to
a student who is either onshore or
offshore studying in the distance
mode (No. 12 Article II. Definition of
Terms, CMO 2 s. 2008)

similar activities protect the interests of

various stakeholders in transnational
education (Para. 2, Section 75, Article XVI,
CMO 40 s. 2008).
(6)Transnational
education
arrangement refers to an educational,
legal, financial or other arrangement
agreed upon formally by partners in
order to provide education services
(No. 31 Article II. Definition of
Terms, CMO 2 s. 2008)

(5)Transnational education (TNE) refers

to all types of higher education study
program, or sets of courses of study,
or education services (including those
of distance education) in which the
learners are located in a country
different from one where the awarding
institution is based. Such program
may belong to the education system of
a State different from the States in
which it operates, or may operate
independently of any national
education system (UNESCO 2001, as
seen in No. 30. Article II. Definition
of Terms, CMO 2 s. 2008 and No. 28,
Section 5. Definition of Terms, CMO
40 s. 2008)

Alternative Systems in Education. The

Commission recognizes that education and
acquisition of higher learning take place
both within and beyond the confines of the
classrooms. The Commission recognizes
the need to formally acknowledge higher
learning obtained from information and
non-formal systems of education. The
recognition shall be embodied in an
instrument acceptable by the general public
(Section 9, Art. III. CMO 40 s.2008).
1.To make quality higher education
accessible to a greater number of
qualified students who are otherwise
isolated by geographical location,
personal and work commitments, time
constraints, and conventional course
structures;
2.To establish a mechanism for

Further, under CMO 40 s. 2008, Section

76, Article XVI, transnational education
was closely linked with the inevitable
occurrence of globalization, changing
foreign policies, and liberalization of trade
in goods and services worldwide which
according to said CMO, have created a
climate for borderless teaching and learning
as well as expanded the opportunities for
transnational education. This phenomenon,
together with rapid developments in
information
and
communications
technology, promotes access to foreign
qualification, degrees, certificates and
diplomas. It also encourages Philippine
universities,
colleges,
and
training
institutions to offer credits and degrees in a
borderless environment. The potential of
transnational arrangements to provide
education that meets human, social,
economic and cultural needs can only be
achieved by ensuring the provision of
quality educational services.
Transnational education is a matter of
critical public interest in terms of relevance
of content to national needs and the need to
safeguard the interests of legitimate
education providers and the general public.
Quality assurance, audit, accreditation and

assessment and accreditation of prior

learning from non-formal and
informal education and training, and
from related work experiences of
individuals toward the granting of
equivalency certificates and awards in
higher education; and
3.To establish guidelines for the
award of higher education certificates
and/or
degrees
to
deserving
individuals (Section 10, Art. III.
CMO 40 s.2008).
These systems shall include but not
limited to the following:
Distance Education the same
definition provided in No. 3 above.

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SABIO & SABIO

Its mandate is to provide education
opportunities to individuals aspiring for
higher
education
and
improved
qualifications but were unable to take
advantage of traditional modes of education
because of personal and professional
obligations (Wikipedia, 2012). Established
in 1995 as the fifth constituent university of
the UP system, UPOU had 2,500 students in
2008-2009. It has students in 44 countries,
aside from the Philippines, majority of them
overseas Filipinos. Between 2000 and 2006,
UPOU graduated 2,419. The university has
been recognized as the Center of Excellence
in Open Learning and Distance Education
by the Commission on Higher Education
and designated as the National eLearning
Competency Center by the Information
Technology and eCommerce Council
(Bolido, 2009).

(1)The
Expanded
Tertiary
Equivalency and Accreditation
Programs
(ETEEAP)

a
comprehensive
program
of
identifying, assessing and assigning
equivalent college level learning for
non-formal and informal training,
and
demonstrated/substantiated
competencies, skills, attitudes and
values acquired from related work
experience towards the final
granting of equivalent credits and/or
awarding of appropriate academic
degree by deputized higher
education institutions. Competency
enhancement
programs
are
employed to ensure progression of
the individual student in the
Program.
(2)Ladderized Education refers to
all
education
and
training
mechanisms that allow students
and workers progression within
and between Technical Vocational
Education and Training (TVET)
and Higher Education (HE).

Taken from its website, the

UPOUs vision is: to be at the
forefront of the knowledge society as
a leading institutions of open learning
and distance education (UPOU
Vision). Its mission is to provide
wider access to quality higher
education. It shall adhere to the
highest standards of academic
excellence,
guarantee
academic
freedom, and encourage social
responsibility
and
nationalistic
commitment among its faculty, staff
and students (UP OU Mission).
Specifically, the UPOU has the
following objectives:

(3)E-Learning the delivery of a

learning, training or education
program by electronic means. It
involves the use of computer or
electronic device.
(4)Open Learning - the same definition
provided in No. 2 above
The establishment and operation of the
foregoing alternative systems shall be in
accordance with the corresponding CHED
policies, guidelines and procedures (Section
9-11, Article III, CMO 40 s. 2008).
D. KNOWN DISTANCE EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS, ASSOCIATIONS AND
ORGANIZATIONS
IN
THE
PHILIPPINES
UP Open University The University of
the
Philippines
Open
University
(U.P.O.U.) is a public distance learning
institution
and
research
university
headquartered at Los Baos, Laguna.

65

To provide opportunities for

alternative access to quality
higher education by offering
baccalaureate
and
postbaccalaureate degree programs
and non-formal courses by
distance education.

To develop a system of
continuing
education
for
sustaining professional growth
and improving technical skills
especially for those who cannot
leave their jobs or homes for fulltime studies; and

ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

poverty
alleviation,
global
competitiveness
and
sustainable
development, for the benefit of the
present and future generations of
Filipinos.
The PUP Open University was
established in the 1970's. The initial
offerings were non-degree (technicalvocational) courses. PUP first thought of
the Open University concept when then
PCC President Nemesio E. Prudente saw
the need to provide access to educational
opportunities to millions of Filipinos who
wanted to study but were constrained by
time, distance and other circumstances.
He was assisted by then Assistant Vice
President for Branches and Head of the
OU and now Vice President for Academic
Affairs Dr. Samuel M. Salvador together
with Prof. Teofilo H. Montemayor. They
worked relentlessly in establishing
linkages with different organizations and
laid down the foundations of the OU
system in PUP. However, the initial
implementation fizzled out when Martial
Law was declared in 1972.
When Dr. Prudente was reinstated as PUP
President in 1986, he again revived the
concept of the Open University System. It
was formally launched in March 1990.
Dr. Prudente and Dr. Salvador believed in
bringing education right at the doorsteps
of the people. This concept was supported
fully by Dr. Zenaida A. Olonan during her
presidency. The appointment of Dr.
Ofelia M. Carague as president of PUP in
1998 augured well for the PUP OU since
she has been one of the prime movers of
the OU in the University. In the
presidency of Dr. Dante G. Guevarra, the
PUP OU has grown leaps and bounds as it
established the three schools that
presently compose it. While broadcastbased distance learning systems in the
Philippines were popular in the 1960's, it
was PUP which first implemented the
concept of the Open University, that is, a
university within a university offering
both degree and non-degree programs in
the
country
duly
certified
by
corresponding certificates or diplomas
upon satisfactory compliance of course
requirements.

To contribute towards upgrading

the
quality
of
residential
instruction in the University and
the educational system of the
country,
in
general,
by
developing, testing and utilizing
innovative instructional materials
and technology, and sharing these
with
other
colleges
and
universities through cooperative
programs

(2) PUP Open University The

Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Open University (PUP OU) otherwise
known as the "Pamantasang Bayan",
which formally commenced in 1990, is a
fresh and innovative system of delivering
higher educational services in a manner
that differs from the formal, highly
structured,
and
classroom-oriented
traditional approach.
The PUP OU is in consonance with the
1987 Philippine Constitution. Article IV
mandates that quality education at all
levels should be made accessible to all
Filipinos and self-learning, independent,
out-of-school study programs, non-formal,
informal and indigenous learning systems,
be developed particularly those which
respond to community needs. The PUP
OU caters primarily to the needs of the
economically disadvantaged students, outof-school youths, teachers, administrators,
managers, professionals and ordinary
employees who want to pursue degree or
non-degree courses but are unable to do so
due to accessibility, time, domestic and
economic constraints. Ideally, under the
Open University System, the students do
not have to attend classes inside a
classroom. They do not even have to enter
the physical campus(es) of PUP. However,
because of the discovered need of the PUP
student to meet and encounter their
classmates
and subject
specialists
(instructors), they are required to attend
contact sessions per subject. The PUP
OU's thrust answers the call to higher
education
institutions
to
continue
contributing to the efforts of the
government of realizing its objectives of

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SABIO & SABIO

From its website, PUP OUs vision is
to be the premier Center of Excellence in
the country for Distance Education. Its
mission is to to provide and promote
quality education in all levels by making
it accessible to all through self-learning,
independent and out-of-school study
programs, particularly those that respond
to community needs and the challenges
posed
by
an
information
and
technological society and a global
economy. It objectives are as follows:

(3) Philippine Womens University

(PWU) - Then Philippine Womens
University President, Dr. Jose Conrado
Benitez, in his inaugural address on Feb.
19, 1993, formally announced the
universitys policy on distance education.
He said that it is the classroom that will
have to go to the students and not the
students to the classrooms. It will enter the
homes through distance education; it will
take place in the offices and workplaces
through various career development and
continuing education programs; it will
situate itself in our communities through
accredited experiential learning activities
designed for community immersion. In
March 1994, the PWU EDTV or
educational television program was
launched. It was the first and only cable
television channel exclusively dedicated
for educational programming. On July 15,
1996, the PWU College of Distance
Education was formally created. The PWU
College of Distance Education says its
learning centers are on its campus in
Manila, and in participating schools in
Makati, Las Pias, Bataan, Bulacan, Imus
in Cavite, Camarines Norte, Kalinga, Lipa
in Batangas, Pampanga, Bacolod and Hong
Kong (Quodala, 2007).

Bring quality but affordable education to

the greater number, improving their
quality of life, especially that of the
economically
disadvantaged
in
complementation with the present
traditional
university
curricular
offerings;
Offer a second chance which to others
might be the only means of acquiring
an education or expanding their
knowledge;
Advance and disseminate knowledge by
a diversity of means, both formal and
non-formal, with the aid of
information
and
communication
technology;
Strengthen and make relevant the degree,
certificate and diploma courses to the
needs of employment necessary for
the building of the economy and the
development of the country;
Promote
the
acquisition
of

(4) Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

(PLM) distance learning program in
PLM is called the Off-Campus Program or
the OCP. OCP is not new to the experience
of PLM. It traces its roots back in 1995
when
the
College
of
Nursing
conceptualized a new program to re-tool
the countrys midwifery program through
the Bachelor of Community Health
Services (BCHS). Graduates and board
passers of the 2-year midwifery profession
across the country found a way of
spreading their golden hands -- from
ensuring birthing life to babies -- to
nursing health care among communities
away from the modernity of urban medical
health services. The success of the BCHS
program ushered PLM to innovate other
programs at the public governance sector.
Realizing that a dedicated public service is
the hallmark of a true republican society,
PLM shaped its post-graduate program for

knowledge in a rapidly developing

and changing society and to
continually offer opportunities for
upgrading knowledge, training and
skills in the context of innovations,
research and discovery in all fields
of human endeavor; and,
Provide suitable undergraduate and
post graduate courses of study to
those already employed here and
abroad but lack the necessary
educational qualifications for
advancement on account of age,
poverty, distance to conventional
educational centers, or time
constraints. (PUP, 2012)
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ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

government management (Master of
Government Management) to give
emphasis to the value-delivery of public
services among the citizenry. A public
institution itself, PLM has carved a niche
in bringing about a distinct program in its
own sphere of core competency. One step
led to another as more programs of equal
significance to the society were added to
the growing list of community-focused
learning paradigms, i.e., bachelor in public
administration, master in business
administration-top executive program,
master in community health services,
doctor in public management, among
others. To realize the objective of reaching
a broader base, the colleges and graduate
schools responsible for managing their
respective programs have tied up mainly
with government agencies, and community
and
professional
organizations.
Memoranda of agreement were forged to
ensure quality control in delivering the
educational objectives of the programs.
Faculty members who are experts in their
respective fields are sent by PLM into
these agencies and communities to re-tool
public and community servants right at
their doorsteps. The policy research
studies or dissertations of candidates for
graduation are directed towards enhancing
or uplifting the current state of affairs in
their own communities by recommending
stateful
frameworks of significant
contribution to the betterment of that
community, through better health services
or commendable public governance
(PLM, 2012).

the open university concept of

education which is already wellestablished and widely accepted in
Europe, North America and the United
States, Australia, and Asia . With its nontraditional delivery of instruction, CAP
College brings learning alternatives, new
hope and opportunities to Filipinos here
and abroad. In order to make its programs
attuned to the times and with the needs of
its students, CAP College continues to
expand its network and to develop its
linkages
with
other
educational
institutions and organizations. It has also
developed linkages with government and
non-government organizations here and
abroad. International linkages include the
International Council for Distance
Education (ICDE), where CAP College is
an institutional member, and the Asian
Association
of Open Universities
(AAOU). Locally, it is affiliated with the
Open and Distance Learning Foundation
(ODLF) and the Association of
Foundations (AF).

In 2007, CAP College embarked on the

digitalization of Distance Education.
Through www.capcow.com, CAP College
harnessed the power of the Internet in
serving its students worldwide through:
on-line registration, downloading of
instructional materials, on-line tutorials,
individualized folders for students, and
link
to
a
career
site
via
www.JobsDB.com. Aside from the
regular Digitalized Distance Education
Program, CAP College Foundation, Inc.
operates the School for the Deaf (SFD)
the first institution in the Philippines to
offer collegiate courses for the Deaf.

(5) CAP College Foundation Inc. a

recognized pioneer in educational
innovations in the Philippines was
established in 1988 as a non-stock, nonsectarian
educational
foundation.
Instituted under Philippine laws, CAP
College engages in education, research
and related activities utilizing nontraditional or non-formal as well as formal
delivery of instruction and grants degrees
for programs recognized by the
Commission on Higher Education
(CHED). CAP College is patterned after

Its vision is for the development of a

culture of achievement among Filipinos
as a primary ingredient in nation building
through the pursuit of life-long learning
and continued academic advancement. It
mission is to lead towards the
democratization of higher education
opportunities
through
Digitalized
Distance Education.

68

SABIO & SABIO

and promote lifelong learning; (3)
Package instructional materials for
various curricular programs and clientele
groups; and (4) Establish a distance
education network through collaborative
arrangements, institutional linkages and
other appropriate mechanisms to enhance
the delivery of distance education
programs and to generate awareness of
and support to the CLSU distance learning
program.

Among its objectives as the following:

(1) Provide opportunities for higher
education to persons who cannot go to
formal or conventional schools on
account of time, distance, finances and
other constraints; (2) Develop new nontraditional undergraduate and graduate
programs to meet specific needs of
government and industry; and (3)
Contribute to the development of
Distance Education in the Philippines
(CAP, 2012)

Distance education is a mode of

education delivery whereby teacher and
learner are separated in time and space,
and instruction is delivered through
specially designed materials and methods
using appropriate technologies, and
supported
by
organizational
and
administrative
structures
and
arrangements.

(6) Central Luzon State University The CLSU Open University was formally
created on August 29, 1997 through
CLSU Board of Regents Resolution No.
50-97. The mandate of the CLSU Open
University is to provide education
opportunities via degree and non-degree
programs to disadvantaged individuals
aspiring for higher education or for
improved qualifications but who are
unable to avail of the traditional modes of
instruction. The CLSU Open University is
open as to people, places, and methods. Its
main aim is to provide access to higher
education to more people, to bring
education to them, wherever they live,
which in turn requires it to apply/adopt
different methods because it cannot
achieve its aims through traditional
classroom teaching. Its mission is to
provide its students with opportunities to
earn formal qualification as well as to
develop in them the readiness for lifelong
learning in today's knowledge society.
Guided and propelled by the general
objective of backstopping CLSU in
undertaking efforts to make more
meaningful contribution to the realization
of the goals of national development
through human resource development, the
OU trains its efforts and resources
towards the achievement of the following
specific objectives, to wit: (1) Offer
programs that are responsive to the needs
of the learners and of their communities
through
distance
education;
(2)
Institutionalize a system of continuing
education to sustain professional growth

The Open University students are

provided with specially packaged printed
instructional materials or self-learning
modules which they study on their own
most of the time. SLMs are prepared by a
"quality circle" composed of a curriculum
designer, who develops the subject based
on the approved syllabus; subject matter
specialist, who writes the module; a co A
tutorial session is an important element of
distance. It is conducted as part of the
academic environment for optimal
learning. The Open University conducts
face-to-face tutorial sessions to enable
students to interact with their tutors and
peers. These sessions are held on campus
and on-site at the designated Distance and
Open Learning Centers (DOLCENs) and
help students get acquainted with the
University.
Tutorial sessions are held five times a
semester/term at intervals of two weeks to
one month. Each tutorial session lasts for
three hours. On-line, via telephone
tutorials and other forms of tutorials have
been adopted for faster delivery of lessons
and for enhanced access to Open
University
graduate
degree
programs.ntent critic; a language editor;
and a media specialist or graphics artist
(CLSU-OU, 2012).

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ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

(PSDL Mission, 2012). Further it aimed to
realize the following specific objectives, to
wit: (1) to promote the growth and
development of distance learning through
knowledge exchanges, policy formulation,
and
advocacy;
(2)
to
promote
professionalism in the practice of distance
learning in the Philippines; (3) to stimulate
collaboration among local and foreign
professionals and practitioners of distance
learning; (4) to sponsor scientific meetings
and training programs in distance learning
on its own or in collaboration with other
institutions, including government (5) to
sponsor scientific meetings and training
programs in distance learning on its own
or in collaboration with other institutions,
including government; (6) to publish and
disseminate research results, policy
papers, and other scientific materials on
distance learning in the Philippines.

(7) Open and Distance Learning

Foundation of the Philippines (ODLF)
is the first organization founded in the
late 90s to advance the cause and open
and distance learning in the country. Its
member institution consisted of known
distance education providers today
which includes: PUP Open University
(PUPOU), CAP College Foundation
Inc., Central Luzon State University
Open University(CLSUOU), Southeast
Asia Interdisciplinary Development
Institute (SAIDI), Philippine Womens
University (PWU).

(8)
Philippine eLearning Society
(PeLS) PeLS was founded on July 30,
2003 in Manila with the objective of
promoting
substantive
content,
appropriate pedagogy, and appropriate
use of technology for eLearning, guided
by ongoing research activities. Its
mission is to lead the development of
eLearning
competencies
through
education and training and to promote
collaboration
among
eLearning
practitioners. Its vision is to be a
recognized premiere organization that
spearheads
the
advancement
of
eLearning in the Philippines (PeLS,
2012).

The foregoing enumeration of DE

providers in the country are just some of
the few distance education institutions in
the country. The ones listed above are
what we call the established DE
institutions so far, although there are a
number of others which delivers higher
education via distance or via the
unconventional way. It can be observed
from the above that most known distance
education and open learning institutions in
the country were rooted basically from the
conventional schools or those that was
originally founded on a face-to-face
traditional teaching-learning delivery
mode. Very few DE providers are what we
call the stand-alone DE institutions or
those that were actually built for distance
education purposes solely.

(9) Philippine Society of Distance

Learning (PSDL) - According to the
Philippine
Society
for
Distance
Learning, Inc. (PSDL)s website, it was
formally organized on 25 September
2006 at the INNOTECH Center in
Diliman, Quezon City by 15 academics
who were all working at various aspects
of distance education. A total of 31
individuals were originally invited to
form an academic society for distance
learning, but only 15 were able to attend
the organizational
meeting.
The
convenor of the organizational meeting
was Dr. Felix Librero, then Chancellor
of the U.P. Open University. The society
was founded to pursue the spirit of
community among distance educators at
a higher level of academic discourse

E. CURRENT TRENDS ON DE IN
THE COUNTRY
As discussed at the earlier part, the
prominence of DE in the country is evident
during the past two decades although there
were efforts to provide education via
distance as early as 1940s and 1950s
through the provision of short courses on
the radio and television. This is to make

70

SABIO & SABIO

education more accessible to many
Filipinos especially those residing from
remote areas. It was in the 90s when
most DE practitioners began to write
researches about open learning system,
students under DE mode, and alternative
learning system. It was also during the
same period when DE institutions would
send participants to Asian Association of
Open Universities (AAOU) to benchmark
on best practices on DE and Open
Learning; to establish networks and
collaborations
and
gain
notable
experiences
from established DE
institutions in Asia. Until these DE
practitioners began to participate in other
International Conferences in DE e.g.
International Conference on Distance
Education
(ICDE).
Some
even
established their own journal in distance
education like that in the PUP Open
University where it issued 4 Volumes of
DE journal (ISSN 1655-6461), others
joined as editors and writers of
international DE journals e.g. Asian
Journal of Distance Education (ISSN
1347-9008) while the rest submitted
papers for publication at the International
Review of Research in Open and
Distance Learning (IRRODL) and other
known DE journals in the world. Other
institutions have built their own ICT
infrastructure to deliver courses via
distance while the rest remained to be
print-based modular approach. Truly,
there were many efforts to develop DE in
the country during the last few years, and
in keeping with that development, the
following latest activities transpired in
the country:

University,
UP
Open
University
Foundation Inc., and the Philippines
Society for Distance Learning. (Canas,
2012). The rationale for conducting such
conference is as follows: In the 21st
century,
open
learning,
distance
education, and e-learning are inextricably
linked. The philosophy of open learning,
with its emphasis on learner control over
the time, place and pace of study, has
animated distance education since its
emergence as a mode of educational
provision. Distance education in turn has
contributed much to making educational
systems more open and flexible, through
its adoption of various education
technologies. Online distance education
in particular, has proven to be a
transformative
influence,
as
it
demonstrates how the use of information
and communication technologies can reshape the teaching and learning
transaction.Open, distance and e-learning
(ODeL) has revolutionized the way we
perceive universities and the role of
education in development. It has
contributed to the making of a borderless
world driven by innovation and
knowledge
creation
for
policy
development, advocacy, and community
transformation
and
action.This
conference focused on the convergence of
philosophies,
pedagogies
and
technologies in ODeL, the opportunities
opened up by this convergence in
education and beyond, as well as issues
and challenges arising from the practice
of ODeL in various contexts(ICODeL,
2012).
2. The formation of the Philippines
Society for Distance Learning, Inc. in
2006 the PSDL is the 3rd association of
DE providers in the country that was
recently organized. The first two are
ODLF and PeLS. see details in D.9.
about the PSDL.

1.
The Conduct of the First
International Conference on Open and
Distance e-Learning in 2012. Recently in
February 2012, the First International
Conference on Open and Distance eLearning (ICODeL) was held in Century
Park Hotel in Manila wherein close to three
hundred delegates from about 20 countries
and over 100 institutions and organizations
attended said event. ICODEL 2012 was
jointly organized by the UP Open

3. The initiative given by UNESCO

Asia Pacific Open and Distance
Learning Knowledge Base to some DE
providers in the country The PUP

71

ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

and trends in research; (3) To serve as a
network for international collaboration by
providing a platform for the exchange of
information, ideas, experiences, lessons
learned, and best practices; (4) To provide
a gateway for free and fair access to ODL
databases and knowledge resources on
ODL for the purpose of enhancing
educational training and development.
This knowledge base is managed,
maintained and hosted by the Open
University Malaysia (OUM) in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. (UNESCO Asia
Pacific, 2012).

Open
University
was
recently
associated with UNESCO Asia Pacific
Open and Distance Learning Knowledge
Base. The knowledge base for policy
makers in education is an initiative of the
UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional
Bureau for Education. Through this
knowledge base, regional and crosssector development of open and distance
learning by sharing resources, knowledge
and technologies of learning is
encourage. This knowledge base also
hopes to enhance the thrust for
educational accessibility and intellectual
freedom through efficient organisation
and
management
of
educational
endeavour in every country in the region.
The Asia Pacific Open and Distance
Learning Knowledge Base is committed
to the provision of free and fair access to
information on open and distance
education and to enhance educational
training and development through the use
of learning technologies. In the face of
current trends, global changes and new
pathways in education, this knowledge
base aims to provide policy makers with
a comprehensive knowledge base on the
various aspects of open and distance
learning (ODL). UNESCO Asia Pacific
Open and Distance Learning Knowledge
Base perceive that open learning and
distance education can provide for the
training and development needs of every
citizen of the world. In terms of the need
for openness and flexibility, we consider
this approach to be significant in
achieving the Millennium Development
Goals forwarded by the United Nations
in the year 2001. In order to transform
the condition of human life in the 21st
century, the Asia Pacific Open and
Distance Learning Knowledge Base aims
to achieve the following goals: (1) To
provide information that will help policy
makers and decision makers formulate
policies, develop strategies, programmes
and plans to efficiently manage ODL
programmes; (2) To offer current and
state-of-the-art
information
on
implementing ODL with reference to
teaching-learning methodology, modes
of delivery, media, learning technologies

4. On the higher education level, the

Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016
states that enrolment in middle-level
human resource development via technical
and vocational education and training
(TVET) increased by 27.38 percent, from
1.68 million in 2004 to 2.14 million in
2007. However, it declined to 2 million in
2008 and 1.98 million in 2009, as a result
of efforts to improve quality assurance.
On the other hand, enrolment in higher
education rose moderately from 2.40
million in 2004 to 2.62 million in 2009.
The number of graduates across all
disciplines likewise increased from
409,628 to around 469,654 in the same
period, or by 14.65 percent (Chapter 8,
Philippine Devt Plan, 2011-2016). This
enrollment trend is something that DE
provider may possibly explore and take
advantage of. The number of enrollees
which cannot be served by the traditional
school can possibly be an opportunity for
DE institutions. For instance in the
Education Targets set by the government
for 2011-2016; private or public DE
providers may think of incorporating as
part of their strategic plan, measures on
how to help the government respond to
the provision of higher education to be
able to meet the targets specified, which is
disclose in the following table:

72

SABIO & SABIO

Table 2. Education Targets 2011-2016
Indicators

Baseline

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Literacy
Simple Literacy Rate (10 yrs. old and above)a/

95.6 (2008)

98.1

Functional Literacy Rate (10-64 yrs. old)a/

86.4 (2008)

90.1

Early Childhood Education

Gross Enrolment Rate of 3-4 years old children in Day

19.45

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

Gross Enrolment Rate - Kindergartenb/ c/

68.41

74.73

81.05

87.36

93.68

100.00

100.00

Net Enrolment Rate - Kindergarten (5 yrs. old) b/ c/

48.23

58.58

68.94

79.29

89.65

100.00

100.00

Percentage of Grade 1 entrants with ECE experience

67.40

73.92

80.44

86.96

93.48

100.00

100.00

Care Service

Elementary
Net Intake Rate in Grade 1b/
Gross Enrolment Rateb/

58.61

65.89

73.17

80.44

87.72

95.00

100.00

105.37

108.30

111.22

114.15

117.07

120.00

122.93

Net Enrolment Rateb/

88.09

90.09

92.09

94.10

96.10

98.10

100.00

Cohort Survival Rate

74.38

76.45

78.51

80.57

82.64

84.67

86.76

Completion Rated/

72.18

75.13

76.61

78.09

79.56

81.04

82.52

68.0

70.9

71.7

72.5

73.3

74.2

75.0

Gross Enrolment Rateb/

81.03

86.83

92.62

98.41

104.21

110.00

115.79

Net Enrolment Rateb/

59.52

65.16

70.79

76.43

82.06

87.70

93.34

Cohort Survival Rate

78.44

79.35

80.27

81.18

82.09

83.00

83.91

Completion Rated/

73.74

74.25

74.51

74.76

75.02

75.27

75.53

45.6

54.6

58.7

62.7

66.8

70.9

75.0

1,568,617*

1,100,00

1,210,00

1,331,00

1,464,000

1,610,51

1,771,56

531,300

586,850

649,528

Achievement Rate (Grade 6 NAT MPS )

Secondary

Achievement Rate (Year II NAT MPS)

TVET
Enrolment

Male
Female
Graduates

Male

893,091

720,288

805,255

885,780

1,091,555

568,700

623,150

681,472

743,712

805,255

885,780

1,344,371*

1,000,00

1,100,00

1,210,00

1,331,000

1,464,10

1,610,51

856,708

494,000

545,600

602,580

664,169

732,050

805,255

Female

1,047,085

506,000

554,400

607,420

666,831

732,050

805,255

No. of Persons Assessed

772,670*

600,000

660,000

726,000

798,600

878,460

966,306

No. of Persons Certified

636,689*

510,000

564,300

624,360

690,789

764,260

845,518

(2010)
Certification Rate (%)

82.40*

85.00

85.50

86.00

86.50

87.00

87.50

Private Education Students Financial Assistance (PESFA)

13,406

15,000

15,000

15,000

15,000

15,000

15,000

2,770,965

2,881,35

2,955,94

3,021,05

3,080,827

3,155,61

3,220,98

1,335,88

1,361,39

Number of TVET beneficiaries

Higher Education
Enrolment

1,388,337

1,418,06

1,445,24

1,692,490

1,737,55

1,775,74

Male

1,255,839

1,305,17
0

Female

1,515,126

1,576,18

1,620,06

1,659,66

Graduates

481,026

509,707

524,054

538,397

552,735

567,083

581,425

Male

206,015

219,503

226,249

232,994

239,737

246,482

253,228

Female

275,011

290,204

297,805

305,403

312,998

320,601

328,197

% Masters Degree

35.04

40

45

50

55

60

65

% Doctorate Degree

9.69

10

13

16

20

25

30

20

20

23

26

29

32

35

200

800

800

800

800

800

800

42,000

44,000

44,000

44,000

44,000

44,000

44,000

34 (2008)

30

32

34

36

38

40

36.26

45.84

47.04

48.39

49.72

50.94

52.53

Faculty Qualification

Accreditation
Percent of higher education institutions with accredited
programs
Expanded Tertiary Accreditation and Equivalency
Program (ETEEAP) Graduates
Student Financial Assistance Programs (STUFAPs)
Number of HE beneficiaries
Percent of higher education institutions with Ladderized
Education Program (LEP)
National Passing Percentage in Licensure Exams

73

ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

*2010 data
Sources: DepEd, TESDA, CHED, NSO and the ECCD Council
a/ data from the FLEMMS conducted by the NSO every five years
b/ Based on the 2000 Census of Population using the growth rate of the 2007 Census which is 2.04%
c/ Excludes preschool enrolment in summer classes
d/ The definition and formula for completion rate is currently being reviewed
Source: Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 (pp.256-257)

have clear local demand, such as

emerging and critical S&T fields. The
education and training sector remains
confronted with the following issues and
challenges: (a) limited participation of the
industry sector in developing competency
standards and curricula; (b) societal bias
against TVET and insufficient social
marketing, particularly among basic
education students and their parents; (c)
the need to upgrade the quality of higher
education programs, including S&T
courses, and make them internationally
comparable; and (d) continuing job-skills
mismatches, owing to low quality and
relevance of education and training
programs, alongside lower absorptive
capacity of the economy. (Chapter 8,
Philippine Devt Plan, 2011-2016).

As Visser (2004) puts it, distance

education has contributed to human
development in ways not met through
conventional approaches in such areas as,
adult basic education, educating the
unreached, out-of-school secondary
education, and tertiary education.
Reaching the unreached, providing
learning opportunities at the basic level
to adults in areas relevant to their ability
to make the most out of their situation
and to contribute to the development of
their society, opening alternative routes
to learning for out-of-school youths,
particularly at the secondary level,
expanding higher education at a cost far
below what would be required for
conventional approaches, these are some
of the areas in which distance education
has contributed in unprecedented ways to
human development through education.

Given this situation, what then is the role

that DE institutions should play to take
part in these challenges as stated by the
government? It must be pointed out that a
key requirement for successful distance
education is that there should be
planning.

F. CHALLENGES
The Philippine Development Plan 20112016 provides that: :[t]he challenge for
the tertiary education is not just
broadening but rationalizing the access
of the economically and sociallydisadvantaged and potentially-restive
population. Particularly, the efficacy,
usefulness and viability of student loan
programs have not improved remarkably
through the years. Significantly, the
need to produce enough competent
and skilled workforce that will match
domestic needs has become much
more compelling. Faced with the
challenge of competitiveness and the
diversifying industry needs, the
government
continuously instituted
programs and provided the critical
resources for skills upgrading and
intensification in both high- and middlelevel professions. Post-basic education
funding has pointed to the need for
students to be channeled to fields that

G. PROSPECTS
Among the many prospects that the
government will take (as enunciated in
the Policies and Strategies in Education,
Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016)
which generally relates to distance
education, open learning, alternative
learning system and transnational
education are as follows:
1. Make education and training truly
inclusive and expand opportunities for
lifelong learning through: (a) better
and broader provision of basic
educational inputs, especially in
traditionally lagging areas by using
Alternative Learning Systems (ALS) for
out-of-school youths and adults;
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SABIO & SABIO

for sustainability, taking into account the
whole picture of educational concerns
(Visser, 1994). As the concern of
government is the concern of all higher
education institutions (be it traditional or
unconventional DE mode). Success of
distance education solutions is contingent
upon their being an integrated part of
educational policies (Visser, 1994).

promote sustainable development, peace

and human security, good governance,
disaster-risk reduction and climate-change
preparedness.
The
development
communication policy framework of the
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) shall
be adopted, with the convergence of
traditional and multimedia platforms, as
well as online and social media, in
engaging wider clientele and audiences at
all levels;

The biggest challenge is also for DE

institution to help the government
(especially in the next four years, 2013 2016) attain the enrollment rates it sets
for technical and vocational education,
and higher education institutions; the
attainment also of the targets on the
number of graduates both from TVET
and HEIs is another challenge and finally
the challenge on quality assurance and
accreditation. Is there greater number of
DE institutions that submits themselves
for quality audits and accreditation? Does
the figure set by the government includes
non-traditional
higher
education
institutions? What part of the pie will DE
institutions take to meet the target set by
the government? Or are they, in the first
place, included in those institutions
expected to help government meet the
targets (of course with the exception of
those DE providers with the traditional
higher education provision as they are
naturally expected especially the SUCs).
Is DE seen to be an instrument to make
education more accessible and flexible to
many? These and many more questions
will remain to be unanswered unless the
full potential of distance education is
fully exhausted in the country as in the
case of Indira Gandhi National Open
University in India which tries to reach
in the greater populace of the country and
among other successful
distance
education in other parts of the world.

3. Devise a transnational education (TNE)

strategy in programs and services for both
inbound and outbound students and
workers, including mutual recognition/
accreditation of skills and professional
development of Filipino workers vis-a-vis
neighboring countries. Reasonable and
mutually beneficial supervision and
regulation of TNE should lead to quality
assurance and management of foreign
providers, as well as the integrity and
competitiveness of Filipino providers;
4. Balance the demands of globalization
through a locally-adapted/ indigenized
curricula that promote and preserve
indigenous knowledge by: (a) expanding
and upgrading the capacity to teach
foreign languages in response to the
requirements of internationally-shared
human resources and emerging needs in
the ASEAN region; (b) integrating
balanced messages of migration and
development in the Philippine education,
both in the formal and alternative learning
system; (c) making the education system
responsive to the needs of the global
community, while minimizing brain drain,
encouraging brain gain and protecting the
Filipino family from the social costs of
migration; and (d) encouraging Filipinos
overseas to remain rooted in their culture
through an appreciation of Filipino
languages, culture and heritage.

2. Support and institutionalize cultural

and values-oriented projects on TV,
radio, print and Internet through
partnership with media and other privatesector and civil society entities; produce
TV documentaries and infomercials, to
highlight positive Filipino values and

5. By 2016, the country shall achieve a

universal and at least a 93 percent
participation or net enrolment rate in the
elementary and
secondary
levels,
respectively. A gender parity index (GPI)
of 1 shall be targeted in basic education
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ASIAN JOURNAL of DISTANCE EDUCATION

indicators. Likewise, TVET and higher
education subsector shall also increase
enrolment and graduation rate by 2016
(Education
Targets,
Philippine
Development Plan 2011-2016).

CHED Memorandum Order 5 (2002).

Moratorium on the Opening of
Programs via the Open Learning and
Distance Education (OL/DE) both
Print and Non-Print Mode and the
Monitoring and Evaluation of all
Higher
Education
Institutions
offering OL/DE programs (online),
available
at
http://www.itdynamicsphil.com/ched
_memorandum_order.htm, accessed
on 15 May 2012.

References:
1987 Republic
Constitution

of

the

Philippine

Bolido, Linda (2009). University

Without Borders. Philippine
Daily Inquirer (issue date: May 17,
2009). Online available at
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire
rheadlines/learning/view/20090517
-205549/University-withoutborders/, accessed on 13 June
2012.

CHED Memorandum Order 2 (2008).

Policies
and
Standards
and
Guidelines (PSG) on Transnational
Education (TNE) (online), available
at
http://www.ched.gov.ph/chedwww/in
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Dr. Ralph A. SABIO is Chairperson, Business Management Department at School of

Business, St. Scholasticas College Manila, Philippines. Email: alsabio@yahoo.com
Dr. Cecilia J. SABIO is Head, Center for Research and Industry Engagement at the Gulf
College of Oman, Oman. Email: ceejay_sabio@yahoo.com

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