ONLY A limited number of college students finish or graduate from their chosen course, mostly of whom belong to those in urban centers with access to learning materials, scholarships and an enabling learning environment.
Many – particularly males who are obliged to work to support the family at a young age – drop out of college or finish late, if at all.
An analysis of World Bank data by Dr. Rogelio Alicor Panao of the UP-Political Science Department and data analyst of the Inquirer, said finishing college remains an achievement reached only by a limited share of the population in the Philippines, with recent data showing a decline in attainment following a 2019 high.
Panao said college educational attainment among individuals 25 and up, showed a consistent pattern. “Women continue to outpace men in university completion,” such that by 2022 about 20.15 percent of Filipino women had finished college compared with 15.94 percent of men.
He linked this “persistent gender gap to differentiated social and economic expectations.”
He said men are more likely to enter the labor force earlier, particularly in lower-income or rural households “where sons are expected to contribute to family earnings,” the Inquirer reported.
“Women are more often encouraged to complete formal education as a pathway to stable employment and longer-term economic security,” Panao said.
Panao, a faculty member at the UP Department of Political Science has contributed to discussions regarding the challenges and trends in higher education, particularly concerning the [University of the Philippines’ role in social responsibility and academic excellence. His work often intersects with the political and social dynamics influencing the education system.
Based on the March 2026 Labor Force Survey, out of the 51.65 million individuals in the labor force, 30.31 million were male and 21.34 million were female.
Panao said Thailand shows a similar pattern, with women also consistently outperforming men in higher education attainment, while Indonesia provides a significant contrast.
Despite being the world’s largest Muslim-majority state, “it records near parity in tertiary attainment at roughly 9.67% for women and 9.30% for men in 2022,” Panao noted.
Singapore stands apart with steady increases for both sexes and female attainment rising from 21.6% in 2010 to 34.39%, reflecting sustained expansion in higher education.
Downtrend For Philippines
The Philippines, by contrast, has uneven momentum, with female attainment rising to 27.01% in 2019 before falling to 20.15% in 2022, and men following the same decline.
For Panao, the data, taken together, show both a persistent gender gap and a weakening trajectory in higher education attainment.
“The figures should remind Congress that it is now time to shift attention toward sustained policy commitment to expanding tertiary education access and completion, rather than spending legislative energy on politicking and political distraction,” he said.
A UP Faculty Discourse showed the following perspectives:
Balancing Excellence and Social Duty: There is an active call among UP political science faculty to ensure that the pursuit of academic excellence does not overshadow social responsibility and student welfare.
Rethinking Academic Metrics: Similar discussions within the UP system, including recent academic work, highlight concerns that the prioritization of “efficiency” and “workforce readiness” can lead to the marginalization of critical, holistic, and general education, which some argue weakens the overall value of a college education.
Political Context: Panao’s research often tackles the impact of political dynamics and democratic trends in the Philippines, which affects the environment in which academic institutions operate.
Key insights on the limited college accomplishment include:
By 2022, only about 20.15% of Filipino women and 15.94% of men aged 25 and older had completed college.
Despite 60 years of education expansion, disparities in tertiary completion have deepened, with advantaged students more likely to finish than disadvantaged ones.
Low Graduation Rates: Among students who attend college, only about 46% graduate, with many finishing late.
High Non-Completion Factors: A reduced tuition subsidy (TES) from P60,000 to P10,000 has contributed to limitations in program choice and increased dropout rates.
While free college policies have boosted enrollment, limited resources have hindered quality, according to Commission of Higher Education (CHED) data.
Rural-Urban Divide: Location still largely dictates access to higher education, with rural areas facing higher barriers to completion.
To a large portion of the population, financial constraints and lower-quality education in rural areas continue to make tertiary completion difficult.