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Connect, collaborate, and contribute to a stronger and more resilient education community.
Let’s champion complementarity, innovation, quality, and sustainability for Philippine education.
Your voice. Your ideas. Our collective future.
Don’t miss this milestone event
About the learning session
Why we are convening
Rationale
Philippine private higher education stands at a critical crossroads. While the 1987 Constitution explicitly recognizes the complementary and indispensable roles of public and private educational institutions, the sector now faces compounding pressures, shifting policy priorities, demographic headwinds, economic volatility, and the accelerating pace of technological disruption. PACU convenes its 2026 Annual General Assembly with the conviction that institutional sustainability, constitutional advocacy, and future readiness are not competing priorities — they are mutually reinforcing imperatives.
The global and domestic economic environment adds urgent texture to this challenge. Inflationary pressures, currency volatility, geopolitical tensions, and post-pandemic fiscal adjustments are reshaping the cost structures, enrollment dynamics, and planning horizons of private colleges and universities. Ethical leadership, grounded in the values that have always distinguished private education, is now more essential as institutions navigate decisions that affect hundreds of thousands of students, faculty, and communities.
Into this context arrives the most transformative force of our generation: artificial intelligence. The question for private higher education leaders is no longer whether to engage with AI, but how to do so with wisdom, ethical grounding, and genuine care for the human person — an imperative that finds its deepest expression in Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, the first papal document directly addressing AI and the dignity of the human person.
Learning objectives
At the end of the Learning Session, participants shall be able to:
Ground — Affirm the constitutional and moral foundations of private higher education, asserting complementarity between public and private institutions as a non-negotiable principle for policy, advocacy, and institutional identity.
Lead — Apply ethical leadership frameworks, anchored in wisdom, humanity, and the spirit of Magnifica Humanitas, to strengthen governance, faculty development, and institutional decision-making in an AI-driven world.
Sustain — Analyze the economic outlook and its implications for enrollment, financial planning, and institutional resilience, developing strategies that keep private HEIs viable, relevant, and mission-aligned.
Act — Develop at least one concrete institutional initiative or advocacy position that integrates complementarity, ethical leadership, and economic sustainability into a forward-looking response to the demands of the AI age.
Voting: what your school needs to do
Only active members who have paid School Year 2025–2026 membership dues by 5:00 PM, Friday, 11 September 2026 may vote.
Each member school designates one Official Representative. The Chairman of the Board or the School President is automatically presumed to be it, and receives the unique election code on registering.
If neither can attend, submit the Authority to Vote in 2026 General Assembly form by 5:00 PM, 11 September 2026, together with a Secretary’s Certificate or board resolution designating the alternate (Election Code 7.4). The alternate receives the code up to 8:00 AM on 26 September 2026.
To withdraw from being voted as a trustee, email a Notice of Withdrawal to the Secretariat by 5:00 PM, 11 September 2026.
Registration feePHP 4,000.00
Per participant, “to defray expenses for the event, such as AM/PM snacks and Lunch, venue rental, LED wall, audiovisual set-up, and event highlights documentation.”
Registration deadline11 September 2026
“For institutions with more than one (1) participant, please fill out the registration form again. The Registration deadline is Friday, September 11, 2026.”
Voting period1:30 – 3:00 PM
Online through Election Buddy during the Business Meeting on Saturday, 26 September 2026 (Communication No. 07A). A unique access key and password is forwarded to each eligible voter at 8:00 am that day. Every voter can only vote once, and voting choices remain anonymous.
Trustee seats23 positions
Nine (9) representing the Greater Manila Area; Six (6) the Luzon region; Four (4) the Visayas region; and Four (4) the Mindanao region.
The oldest private higher education association in the Philippines
The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) is the oldest private higher education association in the country. It was established in 1932 to set higher standards for private educational institutions and to promote the interests of private education in the country. It was named the Association of Filipino Private Universities and Colleges (AFPUC). In 1947, AFPUC changed its name to PACU.
PACU counts some of the leading private colleges and universities nationwide, with 191 member institutions. PACU boasts a large number of enrollees in its member schools, and collectively, it is one of the biggest sources of employment in the country today.
PACU has always been at the forefront of advancing and advocating the interest of private education in the country. Through the years, PACU has been instrumental in the passage of several landmark laws and advocated for complementarity, reasonable regulation, and academic freedom as a cornerstone in delivering quality private education in the Philippines.
Registering for the assembly and registering to vote are not the same thing. A school that completes only the first will not be able to vote.
By 5:00 PM, 11 September
Pay AY 2025–2026 membership dues, register for the assembly at PHP 4,000 per participant, and file the Authority to Vote or Notice of Withdrawal if either applies.
Comm 07 · Annexes C, D, E
23 – 25 September
Eligible schools register with Election Buddy. Registration must be completed and confirmed by 5:00 PM on 25 September to be able to vote.
Election Code 7.1–7.2
8:00 AM, 26 September
Quorum is determined at this hour. Alternate representatives receive their code up to this point.
Annex B
1:00 PM, 26 September
Access codes and passcodes are emailed to each registered official representative. Voting is only possible after this code arrives.
Election Code 7.6
1:30 – 3:00 PM, 26 September
The voting window, during the Business Meeting. Ballots for the Board of Trustees and the ratification of the Amended Articles of Incorporation are cast online, then audited after the close.
The formal program runs to 4:00 PM, with cocktails from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM. All times Philippine Standard Time (UTC+08:00), following the official Program Flow and Speaker’s Brief for the 94th General Assembly. Master of Ceremonies: Dr. Kathleen G. Apilado (program) and Dr. Zorba Bnn R. Bautista (cocktails).
Part I — Opening program
Registration and Opening of Exhibits
PACU Secretariat
Doxology and National Anthem
Ms. Simone Alexy F. Ravago
Student, PWU School of Music
Opening Program — Welcome Message and Acknowledgment of Participants
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
President, PACU / President, Philippine Women’s University
Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol III
1st Vice President, PACU / President, University of Bohol
Part II — Learning session
Introduction of the Learning Session and Resource Speakers
Ms. Joyce Anne C. Samaniego
Executive Director, PACU
Topic 1 — Operationalizing Complementarity
Hon. Sherwin T. Gatchalian
Senate President, Senate of the Philippines
20-minute lecture
Panel Discussion 1
Dr. Vicente K. Fabella
Panel Reactor · President, Jose Rizal University · PACU Trustee and Policy Committee Chair
Hon. Sherwin T. Gatchalian
Speaker · Senate President
Dr. Rhodora Angela F. Ferrer
Moderator · Executive Director, PEAC
Panel reaction (10 min) and panel discussion (20 min)
Awarding of Certificate of Appreciation, Group Photo and AM Break
Keynote Speaker and PACU President / Officers / Guests / Participants / Sponsors
Topic 2 — Ethical Leadership and the Future of Education
Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez
President, University of the Philippines
20-minute lecture
Topic 3 — The Economic Outlook and Its Impact on Private Education
Dr. Karl Kendrick T. Chua
Managing Director, Data Science and AI, Ayala Corporation · Former Secretary, NEDA
20-minute lecture
Panel Discussion 2
Dr. Vicente K. Fabella
Panel Reactor · President, Jose Rizal University
Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez
Panel Reactor · President, Our Lady of Fatima University · PACU Trustee and CIQI Chair
Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez
Speaker · President, University of the Philippines
Dr. Karl Kendrick T. Chua
Speaker · Ayala Corporation
Dr. Rhodora Angela F. Ferrer
Moderator · Executive Director, PEAC
Panel reaction (15 min) and panel discussion (30 min)
Awarding of Certificates of Appreciation
Keynote Speakers and PACU President / Officers
Lunch and Sponsors’ Presentations
Gold sponsors, 10 minutes each: PSAHelpline · Instructure Philippines, Inc. · Globe Telecom, Inc. · FilPass · Éclat Prestige
Part III — Business meeting
Business Meeting
PACU President, Executive Committee and Committee Chairpersons
Call to Order
Determination of Quorum
Induction of New Member — CIIT College of Arts and Technology
Instructions and Guidelines for the Elections and Amendment of the PACU Articles of Incorporation
Commencement of Voting (1:30 – 3:00 PM)
Secretary’s Report — reading and approval of the minutes of the 2025 General Assembly, matters arising, and ratification of the Board Resolutions for AY 2025–2026
Annual Report of the Treasurer — audited financial statements for the period ended 30 June 2026
Annual Report of the President
Annual Reports of the Committees — Membership, Public Relations, Programs, Legal & Legislative, Public Policy, Institutional Quality Improvement, Industry Academe Linkage, Research
Open Forum
Other Matters
Adjournment
Announcement of the PACU Board of Trustees for AYs 2026–2028
Atty. Anna Maria D. Abad
Legal Counsel, PACU
Closing Remarks
Dr. Zorba Bnn R. Bautista
Treasurer, PACU
Cocktails and Networking
Surprise number, band performance and Rockeoke from PACU members and guests
Resource speakers
Who you will hear from
Three resource speakers address the intersecting themes of the session: complementarity and the constitutional foundations of private education, ethical leadership in a transforming landscape, and the economic outlook for institutional sustainability.
Hon. Sherwin “Win” T. Gatchalian
Senate President of the Philippines
Elected Senate President in June 2026 and a senator since 2016, he is Co-Chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) and has chaired the Senate Committees on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, and on Energy. He was instrumental in advancing the Free Higher Education Act, and previously served as Mayor of Valenzuela City and as its First District representative.
Topic 1 · Operationalizing Complementarity
Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez
President, University of the Philippines
The 22nd President of UP and the first from Mindanao, he took office in February 2023. A lawyer and labour migration expert, he served as Deputy Administrator of OWWA and as Labor Attaché in Japan, Kuwait, and Iraq, and is the first former UP Student Regent to be elected President of the University.
Topic 2 · Ethical Leadership and the Future of Education
Dr. Karl Kendrick T. Chua
Managing Director for Data Science and AI, Ayala Corporation
An economist who served as Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning and Director-General of NEDA from 2021 to 2022, and before that as DOF Undersecretary and Chief Economist, where he helped advance the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program. He spent twelve years at the World Bank, rising to Senior Country Economist for the Philippines, and sits on the board of BPI.
Topic 3 · The Economic Outlook and Its Impact on Private Education
Governance
Executive Committee and Board of Trustees
Officers7
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. BenitezPresident
Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol III1st Vice President
Ms. Laurice Faye R. Juarez2nd Vice President
Dr. Ma. Socorro M. EalaSecretary
Dr. Zorba Bnn R. BautistaTreasurer
Atty. Anna Maria D. AbadLegal Counsel
Ms. Joyce Anne C. SamaniegoExecutive Director
Board of Trustees — National Capital Region9
Rev. Fr. Daniel Franklin E. Pilario, C.M.President · Adamson University
Atty. Danilo L. ConcepcionPresident · Centro Escolar University
Mr. Juan Miguel R. MontinolaPresident · Far Eastern University
Dr. Vicente K. FabellaPresident · Jose Rizal University
Dr. Dodjie S. MaestrecampoPresident · Mapua University
Dr. Caroline Marian S. EnriquezPresident · Our Lady of Fatima University
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. BenitezPresident · Philippine Women’s University
Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-LahozPresident · Technological Institute of the Philippines
Dr. Zosimo M. BattadPresident · University of the East
Board of Trustees — Luzon6
Dr. Patricia Bustos-LagundaPresident · Baliuag University
Dr. Peter P. LaurelPresident · Lyceum of the Philippines University – Batangas
Mrs. Naila E. Leveriza, MBAPresident · Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation
Dr. Ma. Socorro M. EalaPresident · San Pablo Colleges
Dr. Zorba Bnn R. BautistaChairman · University of Baguio
Dr. Anthony Jose M. TamayoPresident · University of Perpetual Help – Molino
Board of Trustees — Visayas4
Engr. Bernard Nicolas E. VillamorPresident · Cebu Institute of Technology – University
Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol IIIPresident · University of Bohol
Atty. Augusto W. GoPresident · University of Cebu
Atty. Christopher A. TanPresident · University of Iloilo
Board of Trustees — Mindanao4
Ms. Laurice Faye R. JuarezTrustee · Capitol University
Dr. Karen Feliciano De LeonPresident · Misamis University
Dr. Evelyn Abellera-MagnoPresident · Rizal Memorial College
Dr. Guillermo P. Torres, Jr.President · University of Mindanao
Governance
Working committees
PACU’s standing committees and commissions for the current term. The Commission on Elections administers the election held during this General Assembly.
Executive7
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. BenitezCommittee Chair
Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol III
Ms. Laurice Faye R. Juarez
Dr. Ma. Socorro M. Eala
Dr. Zorba Bnn R. Bautista
Atty. Anna Maria D. Abad
Ms. Joyce Anne C. Samaniego
Membership10
Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol IIICommittee Chair
Dr. Anthony Jose M. Tamayo
Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez
Dr. Karen Belina F. De Leon
Dr. Patricia B. Lagunda
Dr. Ma. Socorro M. Eala
Atty. Danilo L. Concepcion
Dr. Vicente K. Fabella
Dr. Zorba Bnn R. Bautista
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Public Relations9
Ms. Laurice Faye R. JuarezCommittee Chair
Dr. Karen Belina F. De Leon
Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez
Dr. Zorba Bnn R. Bautista
Dr. Anthony Jose M. Tamayo
Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol III
Dr. Patricia B. Lagunda
Dr. Irene Joyce V. Evangelista
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Permanent Secretary: Ms. Joyce Anne C. Samaniego
Legal & Legislative10
Atty. Anna Maria D. AbadCommittee Chair
Atty. Christopher A. Tan
Dr. Vicente K. Fabella
Atty. Maya Angelique B. Jajala
Atty. Remelisa A. Moraleda
Dr. Christian R. Guzman
Dr. Irene Joyce V. Evangelista
Atty. Janzen Joseph Sevilla
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Ms. Eddielyn M. Maghinay
Policy16
Dr. Vicente K. FabellaCommittee Chair
Dr. Anthony Jose M. Tamayo
Dr. Karen Belina F. De Leon
Atty. Christopher A. Tan
Atty. Juan Crisostomo M. Echiverri
Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez
Atty. Remelisa A. Moraleda
Dr. Zorba Bnn R. Bautista
Dr. Christian R. Guzman
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Mr. Alfredo Antonio I. Ayala
Dr. Victoriano B. Tirol III
Dr. Irene Joyce V. Evangelista
Atty. Anna Maria D. Abad
Atty. Maya Angelique B. Jajalla
Ms. Eddielyn M. Maghinay
Programs & Projects14
Dr. Ma. Socorro M. EalaCommittee Chair
Dr. Patricia B. Lagunda
Dr. Anthony Jose M. Tamayo
Dr. Zosimo M. Battad
Dr. Cecilia S. Pring
Dr. Sergio S. Cao
Prof. Vicente Antonio V. Pijano III
Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez
Dr. Sherry Junette M. Tagle
Dr. Leopoldo Jaime N. Valdes
Dr. Gloria M. Alberto
Dr. Marilissa J. Ampuan
Dr. Irene Joyce V. Evangelista
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Committee on Institutional Quality Improvement23
Dr. Caroline Marian S. EnriquezCommittee Chair
Atty. Danilo L. Concepcion
Dr. Patricia B. Lagunda
Dr. Elizabeth Q. Lahoz
Dr. Anthony Jose M. Tamayo
Dr. Vicente K. Fabella
Dr. Ma. Socorro M. Eala
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Engr. Bernard Nicolas E. Villamor
Dr. Jocelyn P. Tizon
Prof. Vicente Antonio V. Pijano III
Dr. Cheryl R. Peralta
Dr. Renato C. Tanchoco, Jr.
Dr. Ryan Mark S. Molina
Dr. Jennifer R. Reyes
Dr. Charlotte Carino
Dr. Marilissa J. Ampuan
Dr. Perfecto Lopez
Dr. Gloria M. Alberto
Dr. Jennifer S. Apolinario
Dr. Irene Joyce V. Evangelista
Dr. Peter Dan P. Punongbayan
Sr. Niceta M. Vargas, OSA
Industry Academe Linkages16
Engr. Bernard Nicolas E. VillamorCommittee Chair
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Dr. Vicente K. Fabella
Dr. Anthony Jose M. Tamayo
Dr. Karen Belina F. De Leon
Atty. Christopher A. Tan
Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez
Dr. Marilissa J. Ampuan
Dr. Christian R. Guzman
Mr. Leopoldo Jaime N. Valdes
Dr. Esther Susan N. Perez-Mari
Dr. Cynthia R. Acosta
Dr. Peter Dan P. Punongbayan
Dr. Carol Lynn R. Macagba
Dr. Leonarda D. Loayon
Dr. Alain Marc P. Golez
Research9
Dr. Dodjie S. MaestrecampoCommittee Chair
Fr. Daniel Franklin E. Pilario, C.M.
Dr. Cecilia S. Pring
Dr. Jennifer R. Reyes
Dr. Perfecto Lopez
Dr. Gener S. Subia
Dr. Jaymark Santos
Prof. Vicente Antonio V. Pijano III
Mr. Marco Alfredo M. Benitez
Commission on Constitution and By-Laws3
Atty. Anna Maria D. Abad
Dr. Anthony Jose M. Tamayo
Dr. Karen Belina F. De Leon
Commission on Elections3
Atty. Anna Maria D. Abad
Dr. Royce S. Torres
Atty. Remelisa A. Moraleda
Sponsors
With gratitude to our partners
Gold sponsors
Gold sponsor
Private Education Assistance Committee
Gold sponsor
FilPass
Gold sponsor
Éclat Prestige
Gold sponsor
Instructure
Gold sponsor
PSAHelpline.ph
Gold sponsor
Globe Business
Silver sponsors
Silver sponsor
CentralBooks
Silver sponsor
Paynamics
Silver sponsor
Teachmint X
Silver sponsor
eduCLaaS
Silver sponsor
Datamobility Corporation
Silver sponsor
Palawan
Silver sponsor
OpenLearning
Silver sponsor
Converge Global Business
Exhibitors
Booths and floor plan
Exhibitor booths are set outside the Sheraton Ballroom. Expected number of attendees: 120-150 Private School Heads / Presidents / VPs.
Final Sheraton Ballroom floor plan. Exhibitor booths are numbered in the foyer.
M. Roxas Boulevard corner EDSA Extension, Newport City, Pasay City, Metro Manila
From the airport
The hotel sits inside Newport World Resorts, directly across from NAIA Terminal 3. Runway Manila, an air-conditioned pedestrian footbridge, links the terminal to Newport City, so delegates flying in can reach the venue on foot without going out onto Andrews Avenue.
By road
Entry is via Andrews Avenue or Newport Boulevard, with Skyway access nearby for arrivals from Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and the south. Allow generous time — the assembly starts at 8:00 AM, in Metro Manila’s morning peak.
By rail
No station serves Newport City directly. The nearest interchange is Pasay Rotonda (LRT-1 EDSA and MRT-3 Taft Avenue), from which airport shuttle buses and Nichols/Terminal 3 jeepneys run to Newport City and NAIA Terminal 3.
PACU corporate room rates
Single occupancy PHP 9,742.44 net per room per night. Double occupancy PHP 10,549.14 net per room per night, inclusive of breakfast. Valid 26–27 September 2026, subject to availability.
PACU Advocacy Video on Complementarity of Public and Private Education Institutions, September 26, 2020
PACU Annual General Assembly & National Conference 2025
Highlights from the 93rd Annual General Assembly, the immediate predecessor of this year’s gathering.
Sponsor features
Gold sponsors
Gold sponsor
Private Education Assistance Committee
Gold sponsor
PSAHelpline.ph
Gold sponsor
Instructure
Gold sponsor
FilPass
Silver sponsors
Silver sponsor
Datamobility Corporation
Silver sponsor
CentralBooks
Silver sponsor
Teachmint X
Silver sponsor
OpenLearning
Silver sponsor
Palawan
Silver sponsor
Converge Global Business
Questions
Frequently asked
How do we register?
Register online via the registration form, or scan the QR code on the official announcement. Institutions sending more than one participant fill out the form again for each delegate. The deadline is Friday, 11 September 2026.
How much is the registration fee, and what does it cover?
PHP 4,000.00 per participant. It defrays AM and PM snacks, lunch, venue rental, the LED wall, audiovisual set-up, and event highlights documentation.
The registration fee should be settled on or before 11 September 2026. There is a gateway fee for processing the registration fee via debit/credit card (5.5%) and QRPh (3%). Over-the-counter bank transfer with proof of payment is free.
Who may vote in the election?
Only active members who have paid their School Year 2025–2026 membership dues by 5:00 PM on Friday, 11 September 2026. Each member school designates one Official Representative; the Chairman of the Board or the School President is automatically presumed to be it and receives the unique election code on registering.
Can someone else vote for our school?
Yes. If the Chairman or President cannot attend, submit the Authority to Vote in 2026 General Assembly form (Annex D) by 5:00 PM on 11 September 2026. The alternate representative receives the unique election code up to 8:00 AM on 26 September 2026. Note that the PACU Election Code (section 7.4) additionally requires the replacement or proxy to present a Secretary’s Certificate or a board resolution designating them as Official Representative before being allowed to vote.
How do we withdraw from being voted as a trustee?
Email a Notice of Withdrawal (Annex E) to the PACU Secretariat by 5:00 PM on Friday, 11 September 2026.
Where do we stay?
PACU corporate rates at the Sheraton for 26–27 September 2026: PHP 9,742.44 net per room per night single occupancy, PHP 10,549.14 net double occupancy inclusive of breakfast. Rooms are subject to availability and the last day to book is 4 September 2026.
Will the assembly be recorded?
Yes. There will be both visual and audio recordings of the General Assembly, as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. PACU collects and records information from the registration form; personal data is not shared with third parties except the names of participating schools, their business addresses and official email addresses, and as reasonably necessary, required, or authorised by law. Data is retained for one year from acquisition, and you may request deletion within a reasonable time after the request.
When exactly is the voting?
Voting runs from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM on Saturday, 26 September 2026, through Election Buddy, during the Business Meeting (per Communication No. 07A of 18 August 2026, which updates the earlier guidelines). Registering for the assembly is a separate step from registering to vote: eligible schools must register with Election Buddy between 23 and 25 September, confirmed by 5:00 PM on the 25th (Election Code 7.1–7.2). Each eligible voter then receives a unique access key and password at 8:00 AM on the day. Every voter votes once, choices stay anonymous, and an audit follows immediately after the close of the election.
What is the quorum?
Seventy-four member schools must be present at 8:00 AM on 26 September 2026. The quorum is the higher of one third of the entire membership (64 of 191 schools) or a majority of members entitled to vote (74 of 147 eligible members as of 19 August 2026).
How many trustee seats are open?
Twenty-three: nine representing the Greater Manila Area, six for Luzon, four for Visayas, and four for Mindanao. By established tradition all eligible schools are automatically deemed nominated. Where two candidates receive identical votes, the COMELEC uses an electronic random name selector to choose the winner (Election Code 6.7).
How does ratification of the Articles of Incorporation work?
Ratification happens concurrently with the elections through Election Buddy. A majority of the entire membership in good standing must vote in favour — 74 members, based on 147 of 191 in good standing as of 19 August 2026. The amended Articles take effect only once the SEC issues its certification.
