Senator Pia Cayetano cautioned on Thursday, April 9 the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) over its policy allowing higher education institutions (HEIs) to shift to online classes a 100 percent amid the fuel and energy crisis.

Cayetano made the statement after CHEd issued the new guidance through Memorandum from the Office of the Chairperson (No. 117, s. 2026), which was released in response to the declaration of a state of national energy emergency.

The memorandum allows HEIs to adopt 100 percent online delivery as a temporary arrangement, except for laboratory and skill-based classes which will still be conducted onsite or through appropriate alternative modalities.

Cayetano said that while the whole nation has to adapt quickly because of the ongoing global fuel and power crisis caused by the Middle East conflict, such policy should be studied carefully in light of the possible learning gaps that could happen in the long run.

“Families are experiencing difficulties because of the ongoing global fuel and power crisis. These are not easy times, and government agencies, including our education institutions, are being asked to adapt quickly,” Cayetano noted.

“CHED’s move to allow schools to shift to 100% online classes is clearly intended as a temporary solution to ensure learning continuity while supporting energy conservation efforts,”

“As Senior Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, where I handled the education budget for six years, and as a former EDCOM II Commissioner, I feel strongly that we must approach this challenge with great caution,” she stressed.

The senator said recent assessments show that learning gaps remain a serious concern across the country’s education system, and with any shift in modality, educators must first ensure that students are truly learning. 

“We cannot ignore the risk that prolonged or widespread reliance on fully online modalities may further widen existing learning gaps, especially for students who may not have equal access to technology, stable connectivity, or a conducive learning environment at home,” she pointed out.

“Moreover, there is a real concern that what is intended as a temporary measure may gradually become normalized. We saw this emerge after the pandemic, when emergency learning modalities persisted longer than necessary. We must be vigilant to ensure that this does not happen again,” she further said.

Cayetano reiterated that face-to-face learning remains essential not just for academic outcomes but also for discipline, engagement and overall development.

“This is why we must carefully balance the need to respond to the crisis with our responsibility to protect our students’ learning experience,” she said.

“I urge CHED and all HEIs to establish concrete benchmarks, including measurable learning outcome indicators and a defined review timeline, so that this policy remains a genuine emergency measure and does not quietly become the new standard,” the lawmaker warned.