SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has called for stronger participation from local government units in addressing the country’s growing functional illiteracy problem, describing it as a major barrier to solving the education crisis.

“We will not resolve the country’s education crisis if many Filipinos remain functionally illiterate, which nearly doubled to 24.8 million in the last 30 years,” Gatchalian said.

“Mobilizing local government units is one of the strategies I have been proposing to boost functional literacy,” he added.

The senator explained that under the proposed National Literacy Council Act, which he authored, local school boards would serve as the de facto local literacy councils in provinces, cities, and municipalities.

The measure seeks to strengthen coordination between national and local governments in implementing literacy programs and identifying those most in need of educational support.

“Kung aktibong makikilahok ang ating mga LGUs sa pagsugpo sa functional illiteracy, mas madali nating maaabot ang mga kababayan nating nangangailangan ng tulong,” Gatchalian stressed.

He emphasized that empowering LGUs to take a proactive role in literacy initiatives would ensure that programs are more responsive to community needs and realities, particularly in remote and disadvantaged areas.

Gatchalian has long championed education reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes, strengthening teacher training, and addressing gaps in reading and numeracy skills among Filipino learners.