SENATE President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda joined a site visit to Senator Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Elementary School and President Corazon C. Aquino High School in Baseco, Manila to observe the implementation of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program in classrooms.

“As Chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, I want to see firsthand how our policies are being felt by learners inside the classroom. The ARAL Program is crucial because it gives children who struggle in reading, math, and science a fair chance to recover and succeed. Every hour of teaching can change the course of their future,” Legarda said.

The ARAL Program was established under Republic Act No. 12028, which Legarda co-authored and was signed into law on Oct. 16, 2024.

The program provides targeted support for learners struggling in reading, mathematics, and science through tutorial sessions, learner-centered intervention plans, accessible delivery modes, trained tutors, and holistic learner support mechanisms.

Meanwhile, Department of Education Order No. 010, Series of 2026, operationalizes the interventions through ARAL Summer Reading, ARAL Summer Mathematics, and Senior High School Remediation Programs.

During the visit, Legarda observed elementary and secondary classes under the ARAL Summer Reading and Remediation Programs, focusing on classroom environments, learning resources, and teaching strategies.

“The most important guidance for us comes from the voices of parents, teachers, and the learners themselves. Their experiences with ARAL will help us refine the program and make it more effective,” she said.

Citing data from EDCOM II, Legarda underscored the scale of the country’s literacy crisis.

She noted that many learners remain unable to read by Grade 3, while one in four students across grade levels struggle with reading. In Key Stage 3, covering Grades 7 to 10, more than 80 percent of learners reportedly fall behind.

Even more concerning, Legarda said data for Grade 11 showed that 87 percent of students were not independent readers, stressing that the figures reflect an education crisis that requires urgent intervention.

The four-term senator also delivered a lecture to students on Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which she authored and principally sponsored.

She emphasized the importance of proper waste segregation and responsible garbage disposal, noting that ecological awareness cultivated in schools equips learners not only with academic skills but also with a lasting commitment to environmental stewardship.

The site visit concluded with a plenary discussion facilitated by EDCOM II, reaffirming its mandate to recommend transformative reforms aimed at strengthening Philippine education and improving global competitiveness.