Saint Louis University (SLU) welcomed over two hundred school leaders and representatives for the 2025 Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Regional Orientation Conference.
Spearheaded by the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) and hosted by SLU through the leadership of SLU President and PEAC Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Regional Program Director, Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM, PhD, the orientation tackling the implementation of the Education Service Contracting (ESC), Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS), and Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program for the School Year (SY) 2025-2026 was held at the Fr. Francis Gevers Hall, SLU Main Campus, on 19 June 2025.
Fr. Sales officially welcomed the participants, underscoring their crucial role in shaping the future of education. He also emphasized the importance of adhering to the various guidelines set by the committee in delivering educational services. “Let us view this orientation as an opportunity to reinforce our collective commitment to quality and compliance,” he remarked.
Thereafter, Silliman University and Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities President Betty Cernol-McCann, PhD; Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara; and Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities President Marco Alfredo M. Benitez also delivered messages of gratitude to the participants. They expressed appreciation for the support and cooperation in ensuring that the Region continues to provide quality education and services. Furthermore, they encouraged each school representative to continue cultivating young learners’ minds.
Meanwhile, DepEd-CAR Regional Director Estela L. Cariño, PhD, represented by DepEd-CAR Assistant Regional Director Ronald B. Castillo, PhD, affirmed the Department’s shared responsibility with PEAC in solving 21st century challenges within the educational sector.
PEAC Executive Director Rhodora Angela F. Ferrer, PhD, then shared updates on the GASTPE Workplan, specifically on a regional level. She presented statistics showcasing data on the number of grantees, subsidies, and certification activities conducted. Dr. Ferrer also commended the region’s improvement in guidelines implementation and good performance.
During the conference, the Education Service Contracting (ESC) Schools certified in SY 2024-2025 were also recognized. ESC is a partnership program by the DepEd geared at decongesting overcrowded public junior high schools. A certified ESC school is one that has complied with all DepEd standards and policies and meets the requirements of the self-study procedure prescribed by the PEAC National Secretariat ESC Certification Unit.
The Information Security and Data Privacy Protection, tackled by Mr. Grevered L. Gallego, Unit Head of Organizational Planning and Quality Assurance, informed the educators on their responsibilities for data processing and protection of students. “Do not collect what you cannot protect,” he stated, urging the participants to take information security compliance seriously and with integrity.
In the afternoon, the Unit Head of the Monitoring and Processing Unit, Mr. Rodrick Edsel B. Malonzo, discussed the Processing of Documents and monitoring of the participating schools. He explained the processing of billing statements and management systems that the schools must incorporate and maintain. Moreover, Mr. Malonzo enumerated the eligibility and requirements for ESC and TSS grantees.
A question and answer portion was held afterward, where the participants engaged in meaningful dialogue, and the speakers provided clarifications.
Through the Conference, SLU reaffirmed its commitment to promoting and sustaining quality education with strong partnerships. As Fr. Sales stated in his message, “Together, we can continue to advance the private education sector and ensure that every learner receives a truly transformative educational experience.” By ensuring that the learning institutions meet and maintain the given standards, the dreams of Filipino students are also empowered.
The Conference also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) No. 4 (Quality Education), 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and 17 (Partnerships for the goals). (Article by Ydelvess Faith Morales, UIO Volunteer | Photos by Kyla Moreno, UIO Volunteer)
