To advance global engagement in higher education, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) officially rolled out the updated CMO No. 3, Series of 2025, at West Visayas State University (WVSU) on June 23, featuring Mr. Renz Giorgio Tibigar of the CHED International Affairs Service.
The presentation focused on the “Updated Guidelines for Securing Authority to Travel Abroad for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) across Region VI”, a vital framework aimed at streamlining foreign travel procedures, enhancing institutional accountability, and aligning international activities with national policy.
Mr. Tibigar underscored the strategic role of International Relations Officers (IROs) in ensuring that all foreign travel requests are legitimate, necessary, and directly contribute to the university’s Strategic Internationalization Plan (SIP). He introduced the revised IAS Form 15, a crucial tool to evaluate and justify SUC travel requests. He also emphasized the importance of monitoring outcomes from international travel, such as joint research projects, improved student mobility, and strengthened linkages.
To assist SUCs in assessing the legitimacy of invitations, CHED introduced a Toolkit on Red-Flagged Conferences and Organizations, continuously updated through the CHED-IAS platform. In line with transparency and integrity, Mr. Tibigar also reiterated that all trips partially or fully sponsored by private entities with pending transactions with SUCs are strictly prohibited.
Another highlight was the clarification of exemptions from CHED travel clearance, which include CHED-funded initiatives, IAS-endorsed activities, and trips resulting from formal MOAs or MOUs. Also discussed were the transitionary provisions delegating travel processing functions from CHED Central to Regional Offices.
The program concluded with Dr. Danebeth G. Narzoles, Officer-in-Charge and Chief Education Program Specialist and Internationalization (IZN) Focal Person of CHED Region VI, delivering the closing remarks, commending the collaboration among institutions and reiterating CHED’s full support for initiatives that champion internationalization in Philippine higher education.
By Gladwyn B. Gustilo/ILLO
