Could the Philippines become Asia’s next destination for international students

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 11, 2026

Photo Courtesy: PCO

The Philippines is making a push to attract more international students, with the government launching a new program designed to position the country as a destination for higher education, research and academic training.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 124, creating the Education Philippines or EduPhil Program, with the Commission on Higher Education taking the lead in its implementation.

The program aims to make Philippine universities more competitive internationally by strengthening academic cooperation, research partnerships, innovation and knowledge exchange with institutions and students from other countries.

Beyond attracting students, the initiative seeks to make studying in the Philippines easier by streamlining processes involving student visas, permits and other government authorizations.

The government is also creating the EduPhil Task Force, bringing together agencies including CHED, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Information and Communications Technology and Department of Tourism.

At the center of the program will be the EduPhil Portal, a digital platform intended to provide a unified system for international student documentation, institutional endorsements and referrals between government agencies.

The task force will also develop a five year international education promotion strategy and explore ways to improve the recognition of Philippine academic degrees and qualifications abroad.

The broader goal is to treat international education not only as an academic opportunity but as a potential driver of economic growth, innovation, human capital development and international cooperation.

With the new framework, the Philippines is betting that its higher education institutions can attract more students from around the world while strengthening the country’s place in an increasingly competitive global education landscape.