President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday underscored the need to urgently address the learning crisis as he formally accepted the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) Final Report on the state of Philippine education.
President Marcos at the same time officially launched the National Education and Workforce Development Plan (NatPlan) 2026–2035 crafted by the EDCOM II, to guide priority reforms, legislation, and budgetary allocations for the education sector for the next ten years.
“These documents reveal where we have fallen short and what we must do to improve our educational system,” the President said during the ceremonial submission of the EDCOM II Final Report and turnover of the NatPlan held at Malacañan Palace.
The Chief Executive said the EDCOM II Final Report aptly titled, Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform, “provides a clear picture of the learning crisis that our education system needs to overcome.”
Meanwhile, the NatPlan introduced by the report “offers us a ten-year plan to address the learning crisis that can be solved if we act in unity, and with determination and consistency,” said the President.
President Marcos emphasized that planning must extend beyond his administration and current local electoral terms, as he called on government, educators, industries, and communities to “improve our educational system into one that will prepare every Filipino to meet the challenges of our time.”
“Mga kababayan, ito na talaga ang ating ‘Turning Point:’ panahon ng reporma upang masigurong walang Pilipinong maiiwanan sa Bagong Pilipinas,” the President said.
EDCOM II is the congressional body created through Republic Act 11899, tasked to undertake a comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the education sector.
The handover of the EDCOM II Final Report marks the conclusion of the Commission’s initial term as it was formally organized in January 2023 with a three-year duration. | PND
