UST Prof Warns: Ethics Reduced to Fake News Management in GE Curriculum

📷: Prof. Paolo Bolaños 

Prof. Paolo Bolaños of the University of Santo Tomas Department of Philosophy , delivered a scathing critique at the public hearing on the Proposed Policies, Standards, and Guidelines for the Reframed General Education Curriculum convened by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), warning that the framework threatens to hollow out the philosophical core of Ethics by reducing it to utilitarian functions such as “fake news management” and data handling, stripping the discipline of its depth and meaning.

“ What’s Ethics now? Ethics is reduced to as response to fake news? And a tool for managing data? That’s what Ethics is in the current GE or in the proposed GE?” Bolaños asked.

Representing the broader humanities, Bolaños argued that such a narrow framing undermines the discipline’s depth and ignores the vital role of content in General Education.

He reminded policymakers that Philosophy in Senior High School is only an elective, and therefore students entering college lack the maturity and grounding to engage with Ethics meaningfully. The assumption that they are prepared, he said, is “totally wrong.”

“You say you are avoiding redundancy, but the redundancy is in the course offering that you are presenting to us ,” Bolaños added, noting that the emphasis on market integration after graduation overlooks the importance of content in General Education.

“Where’s the content?” he asked, lamenting that repeated references to Ethics fail to address its deeper philosophical dimensions.

Calling for genuine consultation with educators who will teach the courses, Bolaños warned against a “pro-forma discussion” that excludes subject-matter experts.

“We who can provide the content have not been invited to discuss this matter with you,” he said. “Hopefully there will be more discussion before implementation.” # (RRN)