Palo, Leyte — July 24, 2025 

In an effort to strengthen the commitment to advancing quality education, University officials, student leaders, and campus journalists from State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) across Eastern Visayas convened at the Saint Paul School of Professional Studies in Palo, Leyte, for a regional dialogue with Senator Bam Aquino.

Although Senator Aquino was unable to attend due to inclement weather, he was represented by Marco Javelosa, who delivered the senator’s address, engage and consolidated the concerns with the participants on pressing issues in the education sector.

Northwest Samar State University (NWSSU) was ably represented by Institutional Supreme Student Council (ISSC) President Revy Magallano, The Courier Interim Editor-in-Chief Carol Perito, and The Sunrise Editor-in-Chief Gezell Parales, together with their personnel-in-charge, Mr. Rowee Cañedo from the College of Education.

Organized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Regional Office VIII, the dialogue served as a platform for student leaders and educators to discuss youth empowerment, civic engagement, and educational reform in the context of ongoing national challenges.

During the dialogue, ISSC President Revy Magallano expresses concerns about the current state of higher education in the country, emphasizing the need for stronger support systems.

“We share similar challenges in the implementation of free higher education in the Philippines. With the limited fiscal space and allocation to HEIs, quality education remains a long road ahead,” Magallano stated.

The dialogue underscored the importance of amplifying student voices and forging stronger collaboration between government officials and academic institutions to ensure that education remains inclusive, accessible, and responsive to national development goals.