Senator Kiko Pangilinan has filed a measure seeking to replace the current Legal Education Board (LEB) with a Commission on Legal Education (CLED) that would wield broader powers over law schools while also providing financial and institutional support to improve standards nationwide.
Senate Bill No. 1844 proposes the creation of CLED to take over and expand the existing regulatory framework, amending Republic Act No. 7662 in the process. Pangilinan said the reform seeks to address structural and operational gaps in the current legal education system.
“The passage of this measure is necessary to carry out these reforms and ensure the continued development of lawyers who are knowledgeable, skilled, ethical, socially committed, and prepared to serve the nation with integrity,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
While the LEB currently sets standards and supervises law schools, the proposed CLED would combine regulatory authority with developmental functions.
Under the bill, the commission would:
- Oversee law school compliance and accreditation
- Distribute scholarships, grants, and incentives
- Evaluate institutions’ performance and determine eligibility for subsidies and support
- Craft long-term strategies, policies, and research programs for legal education
- Update national standards to align with international benchmarks
- Define accreditation standards for legal education institutions and related programs