“Critical thinking, digital skills, and adaptability are central to this new vision”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has vowed to reclaim and even surpass the Philippines’ former heights in literacy, putting educational development at the center of his administration’s agenda.
In a recent podcast, he reminded listeners, “Remember when we were the best English speakers in Asia? We had the highest literacy rate in Asia. Let’s get back there. We need to get back there.”
He also underscored that a society cannot succeed without being “well-educated,” and promised to work tirelessly toward enhancing educational outcomes across the archipelago.
This vision is more than a return to rankings—it’s a forward-looking commitment to build a nation where every Filipino has the skills, understanding, and confidence to navigate an increasingly complex world.
At its heart is a simple but urgent challenge: how to transform basic literacy into true functional literacy that enables citizens to think critically, apply knowledge, and contribute meaningfully to society.
The 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) shows that nine in ten Filipinos aged five and above can read and write. That’s a strong foundation—one that covers about 93 million individuals.
But only 70.8 percent of Filipinos aged 10 to 64 can comprehend and apply what they read. That’s the measure of functional literacy, and it’s where our biggest opportunity for growth lies.
The President’s long-term goal—that every Filipino family have at least one college or TESDA graduate by the end of his term—reframes education as a tool for both social mobility and national competitiveness.
It’s also a recognition that human capital is, as he put it, our “greatest resource.” And like all resources, it requires sustained investment, attention, and collaboration to develop.
Since the pandemic, learning recovery has become an even more critical priority.
Across the country, early grade learners continue to grapple with gaps in reading comprehension and numeracy.
The Department of Education, under Secretary Sonny Angara, has taken steps to recalibrate the K–12 curriculum to reduce overload and sharpen focus on essential skills. Improving teacher training, supporting their welfare, and upgrading learning environments—especially through better digital connectivity—are all part of the ongoing reform agenda.
These efforts are aimed at preparing learners not just for school tests, but for real-world challenges.
Critical thinking, digital skills, and adaptability are central to this new vision.
At the same time, the administration is working to elevate technical-vocational education, recognizing that many Filipinos can thrive in high-demand, skills-based careers that align with evolving industry needs.
The government’s push to raise education quality across all regions is a serious undertaking. But it’s also clear that success depends on a broader coalition.
The private sector plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the education system remains innovative, inclusive, and responsive to national needs.
To that end, the principle of complementarity—as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution—is gaining momentum. Education stakeholders like the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) and the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) have amplified their role in supporting national education goals.
Speaking during PACU’s recent general assembly, PEAC Executive Director Dr. Rhodora Angela Fernandez Ferrer recently reiterated their support for the proposed Complementarity in Education bill, calling attention to the urgent need to address enrollment declines, resource constraints, and teacher migration in private institutions.
Among the key proposals of education policy experts are expanding Education Service Contracting (ESC) grants for early learners, adjusting funding levels to reflect current realities, and prioritizing congested areas in the allocation of slots.
These are practical, scalable solutions designed to support private institutions while easing the burden on public schools.
PACU, for its part, continues to build capacity among member institutions through seminars on digital transformation, AI integration, mental health, and succession planning.
The group is also strengthening partnerships with DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and various industry players to align education outcomes with real-world expectations.
Its president, Marco Alfredo Benitez, emphasizes that fully implementing the constitutional mandate for public-private complementarity will be key to making the entire system more robust and future-ready.
Public-private collaboration brings more than additional resources—it brings dynamism.
When the private sector contributes to curriculum design, teacher development, and technological innovation, it sharpens the system’s ability to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Achieving a well-educated, literate society is a shared national mission.
It cannot rest on government shoulders alone. Parents, educators, communities, and industries all have a stake in making sure that every Filipino child—whether in a major city or a rural barangay—has access to quality education.
As President Marcos said, the Philippines once led Asia in literacy.
The goal today is not merely to return to that distinction, but to transform the daily lives of empowered, educated Filipinos who can read, reason, and rise.
