Faculty members from various academic units of the University of Northern Philippines actively took part in the Philippine Association for Teachers and Educators–Region I Chapter (PAFTE-I) Educators’ Congress 2026, held virtually via Zoom on September 25, 2026.
Anchored on the theme, “Shaping Future-Ready and Globally Competitive Educators Through Lifelong Learning and Quality Assurance,” the congress emphasized the vital role of continuous learning, professional growth, and quality assurance in equipping educators with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to respond effectively to the evolving demands of education.
The congress brought together participants from Teacher Education Institutions, State Colleges and Universities, and DepEd teaching personnel of Region I. It formally opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Dulce Marie Solis, PAFTE-I Chair, followed by a keynote address from Dr. Melanie Ancheta-Diego, Regional Director of CHED Regional Office I.
In her address, Dr. Ancheta-Diego highlighted transformative education as a key driver of quality assurance, sustainability, excellence, and future-readiness, with teacher education playing a central role. She emphasized the need for educators and institutions to adapt to emerging developments in technology and artificial intelligence while strengthening experiential learning, digital transformation, inclusivity, sustainable education, creativity, and critical thinking.
She likewise emphasized the importance of creating seamless learning pathways through initiatives such as micro-credentials and credit transfers, while strengthening linkages among Basic Education, Technical-Vocational Education and Training, and Higher Education through the Philippine Qualifications Framework. The keynote also emphasized internationalization and global citizenship, encouraging teacher education institutions to pursue continuous quality improvement, research, innovation, international partnerships, and accreditation toward producing globally competitive educators.
The conference proceeded with its first session, “Curriculum Innovation, Lifelong Learning and Institutional Resilience,” led by Dr. Melquiades Ancheta, Chief Education Program Specialist of the Non-Conventional Higher Education Division, OPSD. He emphasized the need for educational institutions to establish robust mechanisms that ensure the quality and integrity of lifelong learning opportunities. He stressed that learning outcomes must remain uncompromised, requiring appropriate assessment of learners and the proper recognition and crediting of their prior professional experiences to support meaningful and equitable pathways for continuing education.
During the afternoon session, Dr. Felina Espique, PAFTE Vice President for Luzon, led the discussion on “Quality Assurance Framework and Sustainable Institutional Excellence in Education.” She provided a comparative overview of the quality assurance frameworks of the Commission on Higher Education, ASEAN University Network–Quality Assurance, and the Philippine Qualifications Framework, highlighting their distinct approaches to measure and sustain educational quality. She also challenged participants to reflect on the auditing of existing academic programs, curriculum and syllabus development, and the translation of quality assurance standards into effective classroom practices.
The conference concluded its technical sessions with “Innovation, Digital Transformation, and Smart Learning Ecosystems in Education,” presented by Dr. Danilo Romero, PEAC Regional Program Coordinator. Addressing the rapidly evolving educational landscape, Dr. Romero emphasized the continuing importance of teachers and a human-centered approach amid the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. While AI offers speed, vast information resources, and automation capabilities, he pointed out that teachers provide wisdom, ethical judgment, and contextual understanding. He thus encouraged educators to harness emerging technologies purposefully as tools for advancing accessibility, inclusivity, and meaningful learning.
An open forum facilitated by Dr. Luzviminda Relon, PRO, provided participants with an opportunity to engage the speakers, raise questions, and further explore the issues discussed during the sessions.
The congress concluded with Dr. Cristeta Dulos, BOD, PAFTE-I, outlining key directions toward building a future-ready and globally competitive education system. She emphasized the need to strengthen a culture of lifelong learning, quality assurance, innovation and development, and professional networks with global linkages. Overall, the conference reinforced the continuing responsibility of educators and institutions to adapt, innovate, and pursue lifelong learning in shaping an education system capable of responding to the demands of a rapidly changing world.
The congress was hosted by Dr. Russel V. Santos, PAFTE-I Board of Directors member, and Dr. Ryan De los Reyes, PAFTE-I Vice Chair, who facilitated the successful conduct of the virtual gathering.
