President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. has appointed Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Shirley Agrupis as the new chairperson of the agency, replacing Prospero De Vera III, Malacañang announced on Thursday.
The change in leadership follows the President’s call for courtesy resignations from his Cabinet secretaries, a move made in the wake of the administration party’s lackluster performance in the recent midterm elections.
At a press briefing, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed that Marcos had accepted De Vera’s resignation and designated Agrupis, a former president of Mariano Marcos State University in Ilocos Norte, as the new CHED chief.
De Vera had been serving as CHED chair since 2018 and was first appointed commissioner in 2016. In a statement, De Vera said he submitted his resignation “pursuant to the instructions of the President,” even though his term was originally set to end in July 2026.
“After almost seven years of leading the Commission on Higher Education, I respectfully accept the decision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos to end my term as Chairman,” De Vera said.
He thanked the President for the opportunity to serve and highlighted the passage and implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931) as a landmark achievement during his tenure.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the Filipino people and to give an opportunity to every aspiring young Filipino to achieve his/her dream of completing their university education,” De Vera said.
He also extended his congratulations to Agrupis, calling her designation “well-deserved.”
Who is Shirley Agrupis?
Before joining CHED, Dr. Agrupis served as the sixth and first woman president of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), where she led efforts to improve the university’s research capacity, international collaborations and community engagement programs.
Her leadership was marked by significant achievements in agricultural innovation, renewable energy development and digital transformation in education.
Agrupis holds a doctorate in energy engineering from the University of the Philippines Diliman and has published research in bioethanol production and biomass technologies. She is recognized for her contributions to sustainable energy and has been active in regional and international academic networks.
