MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines - Diliman Department of Philosophy has voiced strong opposition to the Department of Education (DepEd)’s proposal to remove the Ethics subject from the General Education (GE) curriculum of higher education institutions.
In a statement, the department responded to the May 28 hearing of the House committee on basic education and culture, chaired by Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, during which the DepEd recommended the exclusion of Ethics from the GE curriculum.
“While the goal of addressing redundancy and shortening college to ease the financial burden on students is understandable, removing Ethics from the curriculum would sacrifice a vital educational and civic good,” UP Diliman’s Department of Philosophy said.
“We recognize the financial pressures on students. However, a three-unit Ethics course represents less than three percent of a typical degree program—a modest investment for lifelong critical thinking skills,” it added.
The department also recalled DepEd’s earlier move to demote the “Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person” from the core curriculum of the strengthened Senior High School program.
According to UP-Diliman, the challenges in Philippine education go beyond literacy, numeracy and reading comprehension. They extend to “weak critical thinking, shallow civic engagement, and limited moral discernment,” which are areas that Ethics directly addresses.
The department emphasized that Ethics offers a rare institutional space for sustained moral reasoning, where students learn to question assumptions, confront ethical dilemmas, assess competing values and apply normative principles to complex real-world issues.
“Thus, removing Ethics from the curriculum would limit education to mere job training, abandoning our responsibility to develop thoughtful citizens. To equate Ethics with Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) or Values Education is a categorical mistake,” the statement noted.
UP Diliman concluded with a firm appeal to decision-makers, stating that students, as future leaders and citizens, need a well-rounded education and substantial preparation for their roles within local and global communities.
“We therefore urge our policymakers to retain Ethics in the college GE curriculum-for the sake of our students, our institutions, and our democratic future,” the department said.
Following criticisms, the DepEd has defended its recommendation to remove the Ethics subject from the general education curriculum.
During a House committee on basic education hearing, DepEd Assistant Secretary for curriculum and teaching Janir Ty Datukan explained that the proposal forms part of the strengthened SHS program.
“Among the recommendations is for CHED to remove three GE courses because they can be mapped against the basic education curriculum,” Datukan said. “Arts Appreciation can be mapped to the Arts; The Contemporary World to Araling Panlipunan; and Ethics to the GMRC and Values Education.”
Datukan also clarified that the DepEd aims to reduce the length of college education and avoid the need for bridging programs.
The move is part of broader efforts to streamline the curriculum and address financial and logistical concerns faced by students.