Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has expressed alarm over a report from the Second Congressional Commission on Education showing the number of functionally illiterate Filipinos doubling to 24.8 million in the past 30 years. The report indicates that the country's education crisis cannot be resolved while so many remain functionally illiterate. He emphasized the role of local governments in combating this issue.
In a statement, Gatchalian said, “We will not resolve the country’s education crisis if many Filipinos remain functionally illiterate, which nearly doubled to 24.8 million in the last 30 years.”
According to the EDCOM 2 report, there were 14.5 million functionally illiterate Filipinos in 1993. The number almost doubled based on the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey.
In response, Gatchalian filed the proposed National Literacy Council Act, which designates local school boards as de facto local literacy councils in provinces, cities, and municipalities. “Mobilizing local government units is one of the strategies I have been proposing to boost functional literacy,” he added.
He further said in Filipino, “If our LGUs will actively participate in stamping out functional illiteracy, we will be able to reach out more easily to our countrymen who are most in need.”
This report raises concerns amid ongoing education challenges in the Philippines, promoting stronger cooperation between national and local levels.