Manila: Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Bam Aquino have expressed their support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent emphasis on prioritizing education reforms, as conveyed during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA). The senators view this as a significant move towards addressing the existing gaps in the Philippine education system.
According to Philippines News Agency, President Marcos’s SONA underscored the importance of strengthening foundational education and fully implementing existing educational laws. Gatchalian noted the President’s dedication of substantial time to education issues, particularly highlighting the need to enhance senior high school and enforce laws such as the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) law and the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) law.
Aquino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, emphasized his commitment to ensuring the President’s promised reforms are realized. He stated plans to oversee the implementation of improvements in classrooms, connectivity, and teacher support, thereby fulfilling the administration’s promises.
The two senators stressed the importance of sustained collaboration between the executive and legislative branches to institutionalize long-delayed education reforms. During his SONA, President Marcos reiterated the administration’s focus on education, introducing several reforms aimed at tackling learning gaps, enhancing teacher welfare, and strengthening foundational learning.
Key initiatives include the roll-out of the ARAL Program and the expansion of ECCD initiatives, both grounded in legislation passed by Congress. President Marcos also announced plans to construct over 300 Barangay Child Development Centers and Bulilit Centers to address the longstanding daycare facility shortage.
Moreover, the President launched the YAKAP Caravan to support the mental and physical well-being of students and teachers, providing free medical services. Efforts to hire more school counselors and expedite children’s routine vaccinations were also highlighted.
In terms of infrastructure, President Marcos reported the opening of 22,000 classrooms over three years, with a pledge to build another 40,000. He assured the proper procurement of digital tools and connectivity support for educational stakeholders.
For educators, Marcos committed to compensating teaching overloads and overtime through digitalization, reducing unnecessary paperwork, and adding 60,000 teaching positions. Additionally, he advocated for the integration of Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) into the Senior High School curriculum, offering students early access to skills training and certification.
In higher education, the President promised continued support for free college tuition at state universities and increased scholarships for Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and college students, particularly from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households. With over 2 million students currently benefiting from free college programs and the Philippines ranking second in ASEAN for tertiary and tech-voc enrollment, Marcos encouraged families to take full advantage of government education programs.
President Marcos concluded by reaffirming education as the top priority of his administration.
