SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to place greater emphasis on education during the final half of his six-year term, citing it as one of the most pressing concerns of the Filipino people.

Gatchalian underscored the urgency of addressing persistent challenges in the education sector, and called on the President to return to the “basics” as he sets his administration’s priorities for the remaining three years.

“We are now in the last three years of the President’s term — the second half. We want to hear what he aims to accomplish during this period,” Gatchalian said.

“What are the targets in terms of poverty reduction, food security, and other major issues? But for me, we need to go back to the basics,” he added.

He emphasized that education and healthcare are the two most fundamental needs of the Filipino people and should be placed at the center of the administration’s agenda.

“We have problems in education, and we also have problems in health,” the senator said.

“These are the two areas I hope the President will give emphasis to, because these are the basic needs I’ve seen that people are really crying out to be improved,” he added.

Gatchalian, a staunch advocate of education reform, has consistently pushed for policies that aim to improve literacy, access, and learning outcomes across the country.