Solons welcome resignation of CHED chair Licuanan

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Monday welcomed the resignation of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chair Patricia Licuanan, even as they continued to seek an investigation into the delay in the issuance of financial help for K-12 teacher-scholars.

In a statement, PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles said Licuanan made the right decision to step down from her post.

"Licuanan did the right thing. I thank her for her years of service for CHED," he said.

Licuanan announced her resignation on Monday after she received a call from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea asking her to resign.

Nograles has earlier accused Licuanan of going on several foreign trips without travel authority from the Office of the President. He, however, later admitted his mistake.

Aside from this, Nograles also called for an investigation into the delay of the release of tuition fees for its teacher-scholars pursuing masteral and doctorate degrees.

Nograles said despite Licuanan's resignation, the investigation on the matter must be pursued.

"We will still continue to pursue the fight for the K-12 Teacher-Scholars who are victims of the inefficiencies in CHED. I am certain that Congress will exercise its Oversight Powers to get to the bottom of this P5.275-billion mess," he said.

Iligan City Representative Frederick Siao, who earlier called for Licuanan's resignation citing health reasons, also welcomed the development.

"I thank her for her service to CHED and the Filipino people—steering CHED through much of the transition through the most significant education reform our country has ever seen—K to 12, the impact of which continues to be felt in higher education," Siao said in a separate statement.

Like Nograles, Siao also called for a probe into the delay in the issuance of allowances for K-12 teacher-scholars.

"Though Dr. Licuanan has left the CHED, the need for the investigation remains. The problem with the K to 12 Transition Program does not just involve the former CHED Chairman. It involves the CHED systems," he said.

"As the CHED itself has admitted, the problems are structural and key to solving those structural problems are legislative solutions," he added. —KG, GMA News