MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has created the Education Philippines or EduPhil Program, a national initiative aimed at attracting more international students and strengthening the Philippines’ position as a destination for higher education, research, training, and academic exchange.

Marcos signed Executive Order No. 124 on Sept. 8, designating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as the lead agency in implementing the program.

The order seeks to establish a more coordinated and digitally enabled system for international education, including the processing of student visas, institutional endorsements, and other government requirements for foreign students.

Under EduPhil, the government will promote academic cooperation, research collaboration, innovation partnerships, knowledge exchange, and stronger global engagement among Philippine higher education institutions.

The program also aims to make it easier for international students to enter, stay, and study in the Philippines by improving coordination among government agencies involved in immigration, education, tourism, and other related services.

EO No. 124 also reorganizes the Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students into the EduPhil Task Force, which will serve as the main inter-agency body overseeing the promotion and development of international education in the country.

CHED will chair the task force, with the Department of Foreign Affairs serving as vice chair. Its members include the Bureau of Immigration, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Tourism, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and Professional Regulation Commission.

Among the task force’s key responsibilities is the development of a five-year international education promotion strategy.

It will also oversee the creation of the EduPhil Portal, a secure digital platform that will serve as a centralized system for international student documentation, institutional endorsement tracking, and referrals among government agencies.

The task force may recommend measures to streamline visa processing and other government services for foreign students, as well as policies supporting the reciprocal recognition of academic degrees, qualifications, and credentials between the Philippines and other countries.

The government said the initiative recognizes the growing role of international education in economic growth, innovation, cultural diplomacy, human capital development, and international cooperation.

Relevant government agencies have been directed to provide full support for the program. Initial funding will come from the existing appropriations of CHED and other concerned agencies, while future requirements will be included in their respective budget proposals.

The EduPhil Task Force is also required to submit an annual report to the President through the CHED chairperson.

EO No. 124 takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.