Manila: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday called on local government units (LGUs) to take urgent action in addressing the country's worsening literacy and comprehension crisis, following survey results released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 'I am reiterating my call on the mobilization of local government units to combat our comprehension crisis. Hindi natin maaaring ipagpaliban ang pagsugpo sa illiteracy dahil kinabukasan ng ating bansa ang nakasalalay dito (We cannot delay addressing illiteracy because the future of our nation is at stake),' he said in a statement.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, emphasized the need to strengthen the role of LGUs in promoting literacy at the grassroots level. He said this can be done by empowering local school boards to function as de facto local literacy councils, as proposed under his filed measure, the National Literacy Council Act.

This bill would designate local school boards as the de facto local literacy councils in provinces, cities, and municipalities, allowing for a more coordinated approach to improving literacy rates. Gatchalian's initiative aims to create a collaborative effort among local governments to ensure that all Filipinos have access to the fundamental skills necessary for their educational and personal development.

The senator also called for the continued rollout of the ARAL Program to accelerate learning recovery, especially among struggling learners, and for the expansion of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) to provide educational opportunities for adult and out-of-school learners. 'These interventions are essential if we are to overcome the comprehension crisis and secure a brighter future for the next generation,' Gatchalian added.