SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday raised alarm over the country’s worsening comprehension crisis, citing recent findings by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that show a significant number of Filipinos continue to struggle with reading comprehension.

In response, Gatchalian reiterated his call for the urgent mobilization of local government units (LGUs) to address the widening literacy gap, stressing that the nation’s future is at stake.

“We cannot afford to delay action against illiteracy because the future of our country depends on it,” he said in a statement.

Gatchalian highlighted his proposed National Literacy Council Act, which seeks to designate local school boards as de facto literacy councils. This, he said, would enable a more coordinated and community-driven approach to tackling illiteracy at the grassroots level.

Beyond governance reforms, the senator stressed the importance of strengthening learning recovery interventions like the ARAL Program, particularly for students who fell behind during the pandemic.

He also pushed for the expansion of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) to reach out to out-of-school youth and adult learners often left behind by the formal education system.

“Improving literacy is not just a Department of Education concern. It must be a national movement—one that starts with our local communities,” Gatchalian added.

The PSA report underscores the growing consensus among education stakeholders that immediate, coordinated, and inclusive action is needed to reverse the country’s learning crisis.