Perspective Chapter: Neoliberalism, Quasi-Marketization, and the Cultural Changes in the Philippine State Universities and Colleges

The historic EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986 toppled the 21 years' reign of the dictatorship of the then Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos. It was followed by a series of deregulation, privatization, and international pacts and agreements in adherence to the neoliberalism ideology. After more than three decades, the Philippines remains a developing country, and the quality of education falls below in comparison with most of its neighboring Asian countries. This chapter presents a personal viewpoint on the influence of neoliberalism principles implemented in higher education institutions in the Philippines. The chapter describes how SUCs have embraced neoliberalism knowingly or unknowingly as they implemented their operational policies and plans to achieve their strategic visions. The discussion draws its contents from relevant works of literature and personal account. The mutation of administrators into a corporate-style managerial elite; the infusion of managerial prerogatives; spiderweb-like, top-down organizational staffing; competition and publicity; outsourcing; and quality assurance compliance are some of the neoliberalism practices enumerated in the discussion. Higher education institutions' new "cultures" cemented neoliberalism in the Philippine higher education systems.