Manila: The province of Aklan recorded the highest basic and functional literacy rates in Western Visayas for 2024, according to the Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). During the regional data dissemination forum held here Thursday, PSA revealed that Aklan scored 92.1 percent in basic literacy, or the ability of a person aged five years and above to read and write with understanding.
According to Philippines News Agency, Aklan also led in functional literacy at 73.9 percent among persons aged 10 to 64 who can read, write, compute, and comprehend. Second to Aklan in terms of basic literacy was Guimaras with a 91.2 percent rate, followed by Antique with 90.1 percent, Iloilo City with 89.9 percent, Capiz at 89.3 percent, and the lowest was Iloilo province with 88.6 percent.
PSA Western Visayas chief statistical specialist Marlene Alviar stated during the dissemination forum that in Western Visayas, 89.6 percent or about nine out of 10 individuals aged 5 years and over are basically literate. In terms of functional literacy, Western Visayas scored 70.6 percent, or about seven out of 10 individuals in the region are functionally literate. For functional literacy, Antique scored 73.8 percent, coming second to Aklan, with Guimaras at 73 percent, Capiz with 70.9 percent, Iloilo City at 70.7 percent, and Iloilo province at 68.4 percent.
DepEd Region 6 Education Supervisor Dr. Elena Gonzaga expressed concern over the results and emphasized their commitment to ensuring no child is left behind. She mentioned ongoing interventions such as localized assessments, the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory, partnerships with local government units (LGUs) and global organizations, and efforts to hire more teachers and staff to address learning gaps. Gonzaga attributed Aklan's success to strong LGU support and improved instructional supervision.
PSA-6 officer-in-charge Nelida Amolar highlighted FLEMMS' role in providing key insights into literacy and media engagement. The 2024 survey covered 8,497 households and 27,754 eligible respondents in Western Visayas, achieving a 98.42 percent response rate. FLEMMS is now conducted every three years, shortened from the previous five-year interval.
