THE DEPARTMENT of Education, through Education Secretary Sonny Angara, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to focus on functional literacy and improved learning outcomes.

This was presented during the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) hearing on October 28.

DepEd noted that while its mandate has steadily broadened since its inception, resources have not always kept pace.

Certain landmark laws—such as the ARAL Program Act, the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders, the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, and the Alternative Learning System Act—were enacted with limited or unsustained financial support, making implementation difficult.

“While responsibilities grew, resources did not always follow,” Angara said. “We have been spread too thinly. We must reclaim our focus on foundational learning, consistent with the intentions of the first EDCOM in the 1990s.”

DepEd also plays an active role in shaping the Education and Workforce Development Group under the Office of the President, which will serve as the coordinating body for education and labor agencies.

“Sustained reform requires sustained support. We must never forget our bottom line: a Filipino learner who can read and comprehend,” Angara added.