Press Release
February 11, 2022

Gatchalian vows push to education sector's recovery from pandemic's impact

Re-electionist Senator Win Gatchalian has vowed to prioritize the recovery of the country's education sector from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Gatchalian, who is currently serving as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, he will continue to push for the safe reopening of schools and the resumption of face-to-face classes. He added that his legislative agenda will also focus on improving both the quality of education and the country's public schools where about 90% of learners nationwide are enrolled.

The World Bank estimates that learning poverty, or the percentage of 10-year-old children who cannot read or understand a simple story, is at 90% in the Philippines. This figure will likely worsen because of prolonged school closures. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) also estimates that the yearlong lack of face-to-face classes will result in P11 trillion in productivity losses over the next 40 years.

"Hindi pa tapos ang ating trabaho. Kaya ang aking adbokasiya: isulong natin ang kapakanan at karapatan ng bawat mag-aaral tungo sa isang dekalidad na edukasyon.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, Gatchalian sponsored Senate Bill No. 2485 or the Second Congressional Commission on Education Act (EDCOM II), which the Senate recently approved on third reading. The proposed EDCOM II will undertake a comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector to recommend transformative, concrete, and targeted education reforms.

Gatchalian is also the author and sponsor of the Excellence in Teacher Education Act, which seeks to improve the quality of teacher education and training in the country. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate ratified the bicameral conference committee report of the proposed measure last January.

To address the needs of learners with disabilities, Gatchalian sponsored the measure titled Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act. Both houses of Congress have ratified the bicameral conference committee report of the proposed measure last year.

Gatchalian also successfully pushed for measures such as the Good Manners and Right Conduct and Values Education Act (Republic Act No. 11476), the National Academy of Sports (Republic Act No. 11470), the Alternative Learning System Act (Republic Act No. 11510), and the amendment to the law on the school opening date (Republic Act No. 11480).

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Pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon bibigyang prayoridad ni Gatchalian

Nanindigan si Senador Win Gatchalian na kung sakaling mahalal siya sa ikalawang termino, bibigyan niya ng prayoridad ang pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa pinsalang dulot ng pandemya ng COVID-19.

Ayon kay Gatchalian na kasalukuyang chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, patuloy niyang itutulak ang ligtas na pagbabalik ng mga mag-aaral para sa face-to-face classes. Dagdag pa ng senador, tututukan din ng kanyang legislative agenda ang pag-angat sa kalidad ng edukasyon at ng mga pampublikong paaralan sa bansa, kung saan nag-aaral ang halos siyamnapung porsyento (90) ng mga mag-aaral ng bansa.

Tinataya ng World Bank na nasa siyamnapung (90) porsyento na ang learning poverty sa bansa. Ang learning poverty ay ang porsyento ng mga batang hindi makapagbasa o makaunawa ng simpleng kwento. Babala ng mga eksperto, maaaring lumala pa ang bilang na ito dahil sa kawalan ng face-to-face classes. Tinataya rin ng National Economic and Development Authority na dahil sa isang taong walang face-to-face classes, aabot ng labing-isang (11) trilyong piso ang katumbas na productivity losses sa bansa sa susunod na apatnapung (40) taon.

"Hindi pa tapos ang ating trabaho. Kaya ang aking adbokasiya: isulong natin ang kapakanan at karapatan ng bawat mag-aaral tungo sa isang dekalidad na edukasyon," ani Gatchalian.

Si Gatchalian ang sponsor ng Senate Bill No. 2485 o ang Second Congressional Commission on Education Act (EDCOM II) na kamakailan ay inaprubahan ng Senado sa ikatlong pagbasa. Layunin ng panukalang EDCOM II na magsagawa ng malawakang pagsusuri sa buong sektor ng edukasyon upang mag-rekomenda ng mga mahalagang reporma.

Si Gatchalian din ang may akda at sponsor ng Excellence in Teacher Education Act na layong iangat ang kalidad ng edukasyon at training ng mga guro. Ratipikado na ng Senado at Kamara ang bicameral conference committee report ng naturang panukala.

Para naman tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga learners with disabilities, si Gatchalian din ang naging sponsor ng panukalang batas na pinamagatang Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act. Ratipikado na rin ng parehong kapulungan ng Kongreso ang naturang panukala.

Ilan pa sa mga batas na matagumpay na isinulong ni Gatchalian ang Good Manners and Right Conduct and Values Education Act (Republic Act No. 11476), ang National Academy of Sports (Republic Act No. 11470), ang Alternative Learning System Act (Republic Act No. 11510), at ang pagtatakda ng bagong petsa sa pagbubukas ng school year (Republic Act No. 11480).

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