Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed the Philippines' improved performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), saying the gains indicate that education reforms are now bearing fruit. In a video message uploaded on Facebook, Marcos expressed elation over the country's improved scores in reading, mathematics, and science, placing the Philippines among the few education systems that showed improvements across all three areas.

According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos noted the improvement in the number of Filipino learners reaching Level 2 in reading proficiency. He attributed the gains to the collective efforts and hard work of teachers, parents, communities, and the government in supporting learners and implementing education reforms. Marcos said the latest PISA results demonstrate that Filipino students can achieve better outcomes when provided with adequate support.

Marcos said the government would continue pursuing programs aimed at addressing the students' needs, including the construction of classrooms, provision of internet connectivity and computers, distribution of school supplies, and production of learning materials and books. He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to improving education, citing the Philippines' recognition as "one of the fastest-improving educational systems globally, with the strongest long-term improvement in reading amongst participating systems."

The PISA is an international assessment that measures the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science, providing countries with data to assess and improve their education systems.