SENATOR Loren Legarda welcomed the enactment of Republic Act No. 12315, which extends the term of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) for two more years.

As the author and principal sponsor of the law, Legarda underscored that the measure secures the Commission’s mandate to continue diagnosing systemic failures and advancing reforms in Philippine education, with renewed urgency to implement concrete solutions.

“As EDCOM II continues its work, we must be deliberate in strengthening our education system,” the four-term senator said. “We will close the gaps, reinforce our institutions, and deliver the changes our learners and educators truly deserve.”

Since its creation under Republic Act No. 11899 in 2022, EDCOM II has produced landmark reports revealing urgent realities in Philippine schools. Its most recent report, Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform, 2026–2035, calls on the education sector to undertake strategic and targeted reforms.

Among its key findings: nearly half of Grade 3 learners cannot read at grade level; 88 percent of Grade 7 learners are not grade-ready in reading; and less than one percent of Grade 12 students reach the proficient level.

The report also highlighted weak foundational learning, chronic underinvestment, fragmented governance, and deep inequities between urban and rural schools.

Curricula also remain misaligned with high-growth industries—including advanced manufacturing, tourism, and information and communications technology (ICT)—leaving many graduates unprepared for labor market demands.

To address these challenges, EDCOM II has recommended reforms in early literacy and numeracy, stronger teacher support systems, targeted investments in last-mile schools, and streamlined governance to ensure reforms endure beyond political cycles.

Legarda, who co-chairs EDCOM II as head of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, said the Commission’s findings demand immediate and decisive action.

“The evidence tells us exactly where the system is failing,” she said. “We will ensure that every reform we pursue is evidence-based, targeted, and built to last.”

Legarda has authored several bills aligned with EDCOM II’s recommendations, including Senate Bill No. 1412 or the Last Mile Schools Act; Senate Bill No. 1894, which seeks to amend the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act to strengthen the efficiency, equity, and accountability of the Tertiary Education Subsidy Program; Senate Bill No. 1427 or the Higher Education Development and Innovation Act; and Senate Bill No. 1413 or the TESDA Modernization Act, among others.