January 29, 2026 — Following the release of the 2026 Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) joined government officials, members of the academe, legal experts, and development practitioners in an education forum held at the Ateneo Law School.
The EDCOM II report presents sobering realities, citing that only 4 out of every 1,000 Grade 12 students demonstrate proficiency. This data underscores the depth of the country’s learning crisis. In the spirit of synodality, CEAP offered reflections and recommendations in response to the report’s findings, emphasizing shared responsibility and collective discernment.
Among CEAP’s key recommendations is the call to position the report not merely as a policy mandate, but as a shared national story—one that invites collective ownership and a collaborative vision for education reform in the Philippines. Such a framing empowers every Filipino to take part in proactively
reshaping the nation’s education future.
The Catholic private education sector plays a vital role in urging decision-makers and stakeholders to intentionally look at and center the realities of marginalized learners and small schools — fostering a culture of care rather than neglect. “Hindi na tayo puwedeng magpikit-mata,” underscored Dr. Yee, Executive Director of EDCOM II, stressing the urgency of sustained and compassionate action.
The Department of Education Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs, Atty. Filemon Javier further highlighted the often unseen burden of the education crisis, describing “the problem with the education crisis is that it doesn’t look like a problem. It looks like a child quietly sitting at the back of the classroom na hindi po natin maramdaman na may problema [siya]. The crisis happened not because the child stopped dreaming. That student did not fail the system, but it is the system that failed the student.”
Beyond calls for improved teacher compensation and support, the education forum emphasized the need to reassess educators’ competencies through both quantitative and qualitative measures—strengthening trust, accountability, and responsiveness to learners’ needs.
“The crisis is deep and longstanding, but it is neither inevitable nor irreversible,” the EDCOM II report affirms. In response, CEAP calls on the private education sector and its partners to work hand in hand in steering the nation’s educational journey toward hope—beginning with nurturing children aged 0 to 4, strengthening foundational reading and numeracy skills, and rebuilding trust from the grassroots to the highest levels of governance.