TRANSCRIPT OF KAPIHAN SA MANILA BAY WITH SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN AND MARICHU VILLANUEVA ON EDUCATION AND POWER SHORTAGE

SEN. WIN: Again thank you very much for inviting me and the Senate is quite busy because we'll be terminating our session on March 20. So we're trying to rush many things on the floor to include some of the LEDAC bills like the real property evaluation reform law. We're also rushing some education bills as well and at the same time we're also conducting many consultations, many hearings. This year we plan to increase the number of recommendations so that we can have meaningful reforms in the education system. We also acknowledge that in 2025 will be the next round of PISA. So hopefully this year and next year we'll have reforms that will improve learner outcomes and improve our PISA outcomes. So we're just very busy finishing up all the bills that are on hand, on the floor so that before we go on a break all of these can be done.

FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF EDUCATION

Q: On that note Sir, yung EDCOM started when and how long will it be complete?

SEN. WIN: It has a life of three years so by next year it will end. The concept of this EDCOM is it's only a temporary or a short-term body that will conduct massive consultations, massive analysis. We have almost 93 researchers and analysts all specializing in education looking at our education system. This year and next year we'll be making recommendations in various facets of education. For example recommendations on early childhood, on basic education, on tertiary and tech-voc and this is actually, this endeavor actually bodes well with the talk on cha-cha because one of the items that is being contemplated to open up is education. And if you have been following the discussions in the Senate, it's quite interesting to listen to both sides. Admittedly there are stakeholders who are against opening up the education sector but there are also stakeholders who are pro or in favor of opening up the education sector. But in my point of view, my personal point of view after listening to all of them and after doing my own analysis, we cannot look at education in the context of charter change as short-term. We cannot look at education as a major driver of foreign direct incentives in the short-term. Because education is a building block. Meaning we impart education, we impart knowledge, we impart training now, but we reap the benefits five, maybe ten years, or even longer after. So if you listen carefully to the stakeholders, especially those who are advocating education cha-cha, they are looking at increasing research and development in our country, producing more students or more graduates with PhD. And with this workforce, we can level up our economy from a labor-intensive economy to a knowledge-based economy, and later on to an innovation-based economy. We cannot jump from labor-based to innovation-based. We need to create the building blocks. And one of the building blocks is knowledge and training. And this is where liberalizing education will come in, because hopefully when we liberalize education, we can attract the likes of Harvard, the likes of Stanford, or even the tech-voc, the foreign tech-voc training centers will come here to the Philippines and train and impart knowledge to our youth. And they will be part of the future workforce, who will drive us to the innovation-based economy. So, interesting. In fact, I'm learning a lot through the hearings.

Q: And I learned a lot from your summary of your hearings yesterday on that. And I'm glad that you are hearing both sides. But on the side of the anti, what are your sentiments?

SEN. WIN: On the side of the anti, especially with basic education, many stakeholders are not in favor of the education cha-cha. Fear that basic education in the hands of foreign institutions will impart a different kind of value, a different kind of patriotism, and a different kind of nationalism, not the Filipino kind. So, in other words, basic education, basic education kasi is, we're talking about children ranging from 5 years old all the way to 12. So these are, these should be imparted with fundamental concepts on Filipino values, on Filipino patriotism, on Filipino nationalism. That can only happen with Filipino schools and Filipino-owned educational institutions. So, in other words, they fear that if the ownership would be in the hands of foreigners, it will be a different kind, not the Filipino kind. Not the kind that we fought for in the past. Not the kind that we are yearning for in the future. And that's why they advocate that it should stay with Filipino schools. The ownership should stay with Filipino schools. So those are, basically in a nutshell, but those are the concerns of the anti-education cha-cha.

Q: If I was there during that hearing, my immediate reaction was, how come there is the international school, the British school, the Breton in Baguio, are they imparting un-Filipino values, un-Filipino education, un-Filipino culture? So why are we allowing them if they teach us things?

SEN. WIN: Pareho tayo magisip. In fact, that was my question yesterday. I just didn't, I just didn't have time to ask, but it's in my notes. Because there are British schools, Singapore schools, international schools, maraming international schools here. So, I read the Department Order of the Department of Education, the Department Order 88, that governs private schools to include international schools. And in that Department Order, it's written there that there are minimum standards, meaning, the government will prescribe the minimum standard. All schools, regardless whether international or local, will follow that minimum standard. Anything about that, you should ask permission from the DepEd. In a nutshell, that is the design. But, Ako, I agree with you. There are international schools coming. In fact, most of our constituents, if they have extra money, would rather send their children to international schools kasi mahal yan. So, that angle should be looked at as well.

Q: What is our school there in Las Piñas? Southville. Southville. Southville, from basic education to college. Who draws international, international networks? Who draws schools? You want to establish a knowledge base, an innovation base education, and we are now having this labor economic base education. So, it requires a lot of curriculum review.

SEN. WIN: But, what is, I think, what is in agreement during the hearing, what stood out and what is mostly in agreement during the hearing is higher education and tech-voc, which ako I agree to open it up to for foreign ownership and to foreign institutions. For example, magiging example, tech-voc. Ang tech-voc nagte-training ng mga skills-based courses. For example, vehicle repair. For example, yung mga maraming Toyota dito. Toyota or Japanese brands and they train technicians. These technicians will be with us for the next 50 years. Hindi naman mamawala ang sasakyan sa mundo. 50 years, we would still have vehicles. So we need to have technicians to repair those vehicles. But those vehicles are produced abroad. The technology is produced abroad.

A lot of these technologies are not present here in the Philippines. But unfortunately tech-voc cannot be owned by foreign institutions or foreign ownership. So for example, if Toyota wants to open a tech-voc school here, they cannot open a tech-voc school here.

Q: Di ba meron namang limitations na more than one person?

SEN. WIN: Yes. They can only, you should have a partner. But in my opinion, tech-voc should be liberalized. So we can invite German companies, European companies, like for example, Boeing. If they want to set up their own tech-voc school here, they will put equipment. The complaint of many of the schools is that the equipment is very expensive. They cannot afford equipment. But these companies can supply the equipment as long as they run the institution. But they're not allowed. They're only allowed up to 40% ownership.

Q: But the problem with inviting this tech-voc and other educational institutions, parang investor ang mentality nila. What incentives can you give?

SEN. WIN: That's a very good question. In fact, lumabas na sa hearing na in some, for example, in Vietnam. In Vietnam, they allow 100% ownership of education. From basic all the way to tertiary, all the way to capital. And there is one Australian college there that went in. They 100% own the college. And the agreement with the government is they will take in a number of Vietnamese and train them. But the Vietnamese also provided incentive, for example, land. So they provided land. Lease under lease agreement. Under the lease agreement, That institution built the building. But the agreement is to take X amount of Vietnamese so that the Vietnamese will be trained. So in other words, it's going to be a mixture of ownership, a mixture of incentive. So we have to find the right things. The point is we are now bringing foreign and international institutions with foreign technology in the country to train our locals. So that's very important because that's where we level up. We upgrade our knowledge going into what we call the innovation-based world.

Q: Kaya nga sir, di ba ang argument niya? Wala, hindi mapawala sa amin yan eh. There are many arrangements available. Di ba leasing, di naman forever na magtatagal sa atin yan.

SEN. WIN: Correct.

Q: So, if ever you allow amendment education cha-cha, do you have to pass new laws to provide this incentive?

SEN. WIN: Yes. When we, assuming this economic cha-cha, education cha-cha gets approved, there's still a limitation there.

Q: Unless provided for by law.

SEN. WIN: So Congress can act in act laws that will regulate and limit the participation of these foreign institutions when they come to the Philippines. For example, if you want to come to the Philippines, at least 60% of your students should be Filipino. At least you will invest X amount of capital to build buildings. So, we can put many regulations so that we can build it towards our benefit rather than to their own benefit. So, hindi siya open slate. We can still put conditions so that we can attract them and so that we can also benefit.

Q: I think that's what's lacking in the messaging in our economic cha-cha. That there is still that provision. That Congress must still come up with the conditions.

SEN. WIN: Correct. So that as you go along, because the world is evolving, we can regulate it, make it more liberal. But if we feel that it's already affecting our, for example our national identity, national security. then we can make it tighter. Yeah. It really depends on the situation. But the flexibility that is given to Congress is going to make it responsive to the times. Kasi ngayon, it's not responsive. For example, the example of Vietnam. Vietnam, since it's not in their constitution, they can open it up, they can close it up, depending on the situation. So, they're very responsive to what is happening around the globe.

CATCH-UP FRIDAYS

Q: Correct me if I'm wrong, Sir. I know that you have been chairing the Senate Committee on Education before. Isang buo yun and then hinati through your leadership at the Senate on that point, ano pa ang kailangan, I mean, but on your part, what have you done to improve the education system?

SEN. WIN: Our education system right now, of course we all know what happened. Siguro ba you all know what happened with the 2018 PISA and the 2022 PISA. So, when you analyze all of those, it boils down to the basics. In fact, last week we went to Benigno Aquino National High School in Makati. Because that's the only school, that's the only public school out of the 188 public schools that reach minimum proficiency. The 187 schools did not even reach the minimum proficiency. So, only one public school reached the minimum proficiency. So, when we asked them, what are their concerns and what are the best practices? Their concerns, nakita nila, as late as junior high school and even senior high school. We have students who cannot read. Sabi ng mga teacher doon. Not from me, sabi ng mga teacher and school officials doon. So, one of our biggest problems in education is the foundational skills or the fundamental skills of our students. Which is reading and math. And that's why DepEd has now embarked on what they call Catch-up Fridays. And this is a fruit of a lot of these hearings and they pointed out all of these things. And now they have Catch-up Fridays wherein they will really intensify the tutorial. Especially on reading. And later on, they will also come up with math. So, at an early age, their foundational skills will be strengthened. So that when they reach junior high school, senior high school, it will be easier for them to take or absorb complex lessons or much more what we call higher order lessons.

Q: Ikaw lang Sir. I'll take your views on this. Because during the pandemic, almost 3 years of pandemic, do you think kung pag-go down natin sa teacher rating has to do with a blended learning that we have to adapt during the pandemic. Kaya bumaba ang teacher rating.

BLENDED LEARNING

SEN. WIN: Actually, if you look at the 2022 PISA, we look at the 2022 visa. Statistically, it's the same as 2020. And if you look at the good side, hindi tayo bumaba. If you look at the bad side, hindi rin tayo tumaas. So we stayed the same. But my biggest fear during that time is because of the pandemic. Because for two years, we have had one of the longest school lockdowns. Students did not have any opportunity to go to school. We will regress. But surprisingly, we did not regress. So, and for me, that's an opportunity to build on. So, meaning we have reached the bottom, but we have no way but to go up. But we need to do our work also. That's why I credit our teachers and principals and school officials for that. Because even though the pandemic closed our school, our schools, they managed to hold the line or hold the line and the grades did not go down.

Q: And we are now also adopting that blended learning. Yes. And then there's typhoon or calamity or catastrophe.

SEN. WIN: That's also one thing that we want to support the Department of Education. In the basic education report of Vice President Sara, she emphasized on digitalization, which I support. And I think that is a learning that we got from the pandemic. In cases of typhoons, cases of volcano eruptions wherein the schools close for a prolonged period of time dahil ginagawa itong mga evacuation centers, Kids can still continue to learn through technology. So we just have to make sure that we have the right content, of course internet connection, the gadgets that our learners will use in case blended learning will be the mentality.

Q: But there's also the downside of that digital learning na if we consider the OSAEC findings na yung mga AI na gagamit sa pornographic.

SEN. WIN: Actually, Because we managed to, the Senate managed to increase the OSAEC budget by P30 million this year. Because we also saw that...

Q: Saan pa under OSAEC sir?

SEN. WIN: DOJ. There's a task force handling human trafficking on OSAEC. So, the offshoot of technology, tama ka is Online sex and child abuse. And we need to curb that. And it's actually quite concerning that it's happening in our country. And in fact, nakakatakot na I was reading the news. In the last, I think, 30 or 60 days, the Bureau of Immigration managed to take three or four foreigners who are Pedophile or sex offenders coming to the country. So, we need to continue to fund the task force on OSAEC to prevent child abuse, to prevent the Philippines to becoming a hub for this type of illegal activity.

Q: Pero yung nga ang problema sa digital eh, mga bata, mayroon na siya online. Somebody has to watch kaya dapat lagyan ng lock yung digital devices.

SEN. WIN: Mayroon kasing global task force yan. Global Interpol. And based on my readings in the news, a lot of these arrests that are made here in the Philippines were based from the U.S. information. So, itong mga Interpol or international organizations giving us information about where and who are perpetuating OSAEC, we need to continue to participate and even increase our participation. Because, na-didetect nila eh. They have the technology to detect it.

Q: From our own side, how do we protect our school children? Kasi nga sabi mo, the VP Sara is supporting the digital platform na yan. So, paano ginagawa nyo internal state courts.

SEN. WIN: Based on my experience, that's why face-to-face classes are very important. The teacher needs to interact with their students because it will improve learning, it will also improve their social behavior, and at the same time teachers will detect abuses and violations. The teachers will know if something bad is happening in their home, something bad is happening to the student and they can detect that. For me, it's also important that we have face-to-face classes and we continue to maintain face-to-face classes.

Q: Speaking of teachers, are they technologically or digitally up to that work? Because I know mostly our teachers are not that techno-haptic.

SEN. WIN: In fairness, depende anong generation, those who are, I think, millennials, mga tech-savvy. When I visit schools, the millennials are tech-savvy. They have their own laptop, they have their own projectors, they're also teachers. In fact, they know how to use learning management systems. Admittedly, the older generation needs to be trained in schools, but I don't think that would be a problem because these are basic applications.

Q: (inaudible)

SEN. WIN: Yeah. And it's also, in the latest thesis in 2022, it's written in one of the, what they call contextual surveys that they conducted. This correlation with the internet and gadget use, the right internet and gadget use, the productive internet and gadget use to learners outcomes. Meaning, if learners know how to use computers and the internet productively, meaning they conduct research, their output is better or their outcome is better. Sabi ng PISA. In this case, our children have very limited use of the internet and gadgets, productively. So, we need to change the habits of our children and also exposure to it.

Q: Natatandaan ko nung pandemic Senator Imee was saying, provide each kid face-to-face in a public school...

SEN. WIN: Hindi kaya eh. We have a bill, one learner, one laptop, but realistically, that will cost us billions of pesos. So, that's an aspiration, to be honest, Marichu, but to fund that immediately, we'll take time.

Q: Ano ang estimate ko?

SEN. WIN: Something to the effect of 20 billion?

Q: A year?

SEN. WIN: Yeah. Just to give gadgets to those who are in the poorest of the poor. But if you give everything, I think it will go up to about 40 to 45 billion.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT (ECCD)

Q: On bills.

SEN. WIN: Yeah, well, isa sa mga bills that we are pushing on the floor, and also pushing is to fix our early childhood education. So, these are children age between 3 and 4. So meron tayong, if we fix that, because marami tayong children who are malnourished. It's not about education, but also nutrition. The other facets of Early Childhood. So yung bill na pinapush namin is to reform early children care and development. So meaning, we have to look at their nutrition properly, we have to get the local government involved, we have to build more daycare centers, we have to also retrain our daycare teachers. So, there are many studies already that if a child is exposed to education at an early age, if you take care of the nutrition, when they reach grade 1, it will be easier for them so we minimize drop-outs. So the key is early childhood. We're fixing early childhood care and development. Early childhood education, care and development.

Q: Anong difference niya in the past?

SEN. WIN: Ang problema in the past, the local governments are not involved. So we want to get the local governments more involved this time.

Q: Ano yung batas na yun?

SEN. WIN: Early Years Act.

Q: Was it also your bill?

SEN. WIN: No, it's a bill that was enacted a long time ago. So we're just enhancing that bill to get the local governments more involved.

Q: Ano ang estimate na population?

SEN. WIN: Ngayon kasi maliit lang eh. But hopefully we get about 4 to 5 million 3 and 4 years old in our daycare.

Q: 4 to 5 million children and 3 to 4 hours.

SEN. WIN: Ngayon kasi, konti lang nagda-daycare sa atin. Very limited. It's not universal yet. Hopefully we make it universal. We encourage more parents to send their children to daycare. We call it a child development center.

Q: At least per barangay.

SEN. WIN: That's in the law also that we put. At least one per barangay. There will be a child development center. We call it a child development center.

Q: Para kasing playtime ng school, to play and learn.

SEN. WIN: Even now, the concept of learning has changed. If you remember before, we didn't have any kindergarten. We started grade 1. But now, paaga ng paaga. Because in studies, the earlier the child is exposed to education, the better the child will perform later on.

Q: (inaudible)

SEN. WIN: We will expand the daycare centers. At least one per barangay.

Q: For free?

SEN. WIN: For free. And then we will also make the local government units be the responsible entity to expand early childhood, care, and development. And then, we will make local government units accountable when it comes to ECCD.

Q: Under this bill?

SEN. WIN: Under this bill.

Q:How much credit or budget are you providing for that?

SEN. WIN: Well, definitely it will take time. We were not looking at building all of this in one year.

Q: Have you provided a budget for that? Or this will be provided for next year's budget.

SEN. WIN: Well, admittedly it will take a lot of money. But it really depends. For example, Valenzuela. We can afford to put up daycare centers. We're just giving you the power to do it.

Q: Wala ba yan sa local government code?

SEN. WIN: There's no explicit local government code. But local governments are doing it right now. But we're making it more explicit that it's the responsibility of the local government.

Q: It's a very good idea. It could be a landmark.

SEN. WIN: Yeah, it's important because the dimension of learning has changed. It's no longer grade 1 and above. It has to be as early as possible.

Q: Kasi nga ang nakakaafford lang to send their 3 to 4 years old...

SEN. WIN: Maraming bata ngayon, 3 years old, pinag-aaral na.

Q: Kaya nga nakarami sa kalye lang.

SEN. WIN: Well, hopefully we encourage parents. It's not mandatory. But we encourage parents to send their children. It's not mandatory. But we've seen models, for example, in Singapore or Malaysia. It's not mandatory. But the enrollment is high. It's 80%. So, meaning, even though it's not mandatory, the parents see it as beneficial.

K-12

Q: Anyway, sir, as chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, anong report sa iyo on K-12? Ano ba? Is it successful? Is it regressive? Is it progressive?

SEN. WIN: Many people are not happy with K-12. Particularly senior high school. To be honest, in the survey, it's as much as I think almost 60% who are not happy with K-12. The parents. K-12 and senior high school. And that's why we aim to reform the senior high school system or the senior high school portion starting this year. So, right now, the senior high school, they have four tracks that they can take. Tech-voc, academic, sports, and arts. So, we're now giving free certification to those who are going to take tech-voc. Right now, kasi sa senior high school, if you take two years of tech-voc, there's no certification. You need to go to TESDA again to get certification. Uulitin mo ulit yun. Because it wasn't contemplated that way during the past. So, many feel that senior high school is useless. Many feel that senior high school is not valuable to them because they end up taking tech-voc after senior high school, they take the same course. And most of them who underwent senior high school need to go to college as well. So, many feel that it's useless. So, now we're reforming it. This year, we included almost 500 million to certify our senior high school.

Q: Sino sa mag-certify?

SEN. WIN: TESDA. Starting this year. So, TESDA will now evaluate those who took tech-voc. And then, if they pass, they will be given certification. So, pag-graduate niya, dalawa hawak niya. A diploma and a national certification. And that national certification will enable him to get employment.

Q: How? Kailan maging this year? So, kailan yun, sir? June?

SEN. WIN: Hopefully, June to start. Kasi ginagawa na ngayon. So, pagpapasok na. Sorry, school year, June. Yung bagong school year.

Q: Kailan pang graduation kung ano na yan? Mag-apply?

SEN. WIN: Graduation. Ngayon, nasa old calendar pa tayo. So, I think May yan.

Q: So, pwede na sila pumunta direct sa TESDA.

SEN. WIN: This will be implemented this coming school year. 2023-2024. Next year pa. This coming ano pa lang. Kasi ginagawa pa yung mechanism.

Q: So, pero may budget na for this year.

SEN. WIN: May budget na this year.

Q: Why? Bakit advance yung budget?

SEN. WIN: Because yung budget na yan will be addressing the 2023-2024. Ongoing kasi siya eh. Ongoing kasi.

Q: Ano pa gawin ng test evaluation? Naga-aapply yung mga senior high school doon. Tapos itetest off nila.

SEN. WIN: Yes. Kasi throughout the process meron mga evaluation.

Q: NC2, NC1, NC2.

SEN. WIN: NC1, NC2. May bayad din yun. So ngayon libre na. May yung NC1, NC2 certification. Libre na. For senior high school. So what happens? If I'm a senior high school, I will take the tech-voc track. I will be certified by TESTA and they will give me my certification. Tapos dalawa. May diploma ka for your academic side. May NC2 pa. And then may NC1, NC2 pa for your tech-voc side. And ready for employment. And ready for employment.

Q: So may coordination sa mga employers. So this is enough.

SEN. WIN: TESDA ang mag-certify. Maganda ang senior high school natin. Kita po, they pass. Almost 80% ang passing rate. Of those who took the certification. So walang problema sa passing.

GASTPE

Q: Ay, yung naman problema sa GASTPE.

SEN. WIN: Ah, yes. We had a hearing last week. And we found out that we're... The GASTPE program, as a background, the GASTPE program is meant to help... Matagal na yan. Matagal na.Yes. So maganda yung GASTPE program because it helps decongest schools. And it helps students to apply to private schools. So, if a public school student wants to apply to a private school, tutulungan ka ng gobyerno. But Let's prioritize the poor. Because these are public funds. These are funds being paid by our taxpayers. So, it's important to practice equity. Or important that equity is being observed. So, meaning, we start off with the poor. But we found out that hindi lahat ng poor students... Non-poor ang nag-aaral doon. Well, in short, ginagawa kasi binibigyan ng mga private school ng slots, diba? For example, private school, I give you, let's say, 40 slots. Kung walang nag-apply, kahit sino na kunin mo. Kasi may allotment na siya. So, ang nangyayari, binigyan ka na ng allotment. At walang nag-a-apply na mahirap. Because may top up. Ang nag-a-apply na lang ay mga non-poor. And then yung... The subsidy, they use it as a discount. Kaya tawag ng ibang school, discount eh. So, but for us, who are paying our taxes...

Q: Sabi mo, equity for the poor.

SEN. WIN: Nagbabayad tayo. And we want to see... Ako, I want to see my taxes to help the poor first. Not to help the non-poor. So, the program is defective. And we see, estimate namin, almost a year 8 billion ang pumupunta sa non-poor.

Q: Anong annual budget ng GASTPE?

SEN. WIN: Ang annual budget ng GASTPE is about... More or less, on the average, about 35 billion. Malaki ang GASTPE.

Q: Sa DepEd yan?

SEN. WIN: DepEd yan. DepEd is the one that is paying. Pero meron isang organization, yung PEAC is the one selecting the schools. So, again, we need to make sure that that 8 billion goes to the poor. Kasi, it's unfair that we're allocating budget and subsidy for the non-poor. Kaya nga marami. In fact, to be honest, marami akong mga kaibigan na nakakuha ng ganitong subsidy na alam ko, every summer nasa Japan. Every summer, Every Christmas, nasa Amerika, nasa Singapore nanonood ng Taylor Swift.

Q: You just found it out last week.

SEN. WIN: Just last week, the hearing.

Q: Paano mo that you stumbled into this information?

SEN. WIN: That's very good question. Noong reunion kasi namin, may mga kaibigan ako na ipinagmamalaki na nakakuha sila ng subsidy. Sila pa nagmamalaki. Depende. May coupon, mayroong cash, So doon ko lang nalaman. And then, of course, I did my investigation. Maraming lumalabas na ganun. So that's why we did some research. Lumabas na ganun.

Q: And how many schools are getting the cash rate?

SEN. WIN: I don't have the exact number right now. But many private schools. I don't have the exact number right now. But the data is 8 billion. So that means wala marami.

Q: And remember, during the pandemic, maraming umiyak na private schools na nag-struggle during that pandemic.

SEN. WIN: So sa akin naman, okay naman itong GASTPE, it's a good program because it gives our poor students an opportunity to study in the private school. But let's make it, let's make sure that it's the poor that is given the opportunity. Because right now, it's not that, it's not happening that way. We need to review that program also. All. The programs we have to review. Free tertiary, itong GASTPE, it's just, hindi lang na-review in the past. So, we're doing the review, that's all yung sinasabi ko kanina is only for junior high school. Wala pa yung senior high school. We detected sa senior high school, may ganyan din. We'll have the next hearing on senior high school. Kasi yung, yung ESC, na voucher, is under one GASTPE program.

Q: Ano yung ESC?

SEN. WIN: ESC is for junior high school. Education Service Contracting. Grade 7 to 10. Yung voucher is grade 11 to 12. Voucher is, actually, the same concept siya. Iba lang yung mechanism. But the same concept, yung bata, from public, pwede mag-aral sa public. Na-expand siya. Dati hanggang junior high school lang siya, na-expand siya to senior high school. Same funding. It can be through remedial legislation. But we're pushing it. Inadmit naman ng DepEd during the hearing that the program needs to be tweaked in order to prioritize the poor. They admit it now. Ang result is they will release a new department order tweaking it to make sure that the poor are given priority and to make sure that equity is practiced.

Q: Ano yung assurance sa'yo last week?

SEN. WIN: Yes. Last week. Last week. By way of a DepEd order. Kasi everything is governed by a DepEd order. Meron kasing COA report na nagsabi na itong program is not being managed properly. So, DepEd created a new office to manage the GASTPE program. So, I think this was created late last year if I'm not mistaken.

Q: So, ang COA ngayon lang na-discover?

SEN. WIN: 2018 pa. The COA report is 2018 pa. Ngayon lang lumalabas. P80 billion is only one year.

TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

Q: May isa pang problem ating education, di ba sir? Yung sinasabi nyo. Yung mga teachers natin na take excellence in teacher education. Maraming yung non-performing teachers' in educational institutions.

SEN. WIN: Oo. We found out that maraming people in TEI, Teacher Education Institutions, na has been operating for many years pero hindi nakakapasa ng licensure examination. For a teacher education institution, the ultimate bragging right is how many students have you passed in the LET. But a number, I just want to have the number right now, of TEIs that have been operating, but they have not yet passed, or their graduates do not pass the licensure examination. So two things are happening, number one, because some of them are state universities. So in other words, we're giving free education, but di naman pumapasa. So that's number one. And number two, yung bata na nag-aaral doon, gumagastos rin, on their own, out of pocket, hindi rin pumapasa. So we told CHED, and CHED is going to release a memo on this, to clean up the teacher education. Because if your students cannot pass the licensure exam for many years, then there's a problem with the way and the quality of your teaching in your school. So you need to already, it's either you close down that program, or you fix that program.

Q: Ano ba, attrition rate?

SEN. WIN: Ang passing rate natin for teacher education, mababa. I think on an average, around 40 to 50 percent. Ang pumapasa, for teacher education. Thousands rin yun. I just don't remember the exact. Parang 200,000 yun a year. Oh, dami rin pala. Marami, maraming pumapasa. It's a very popular course. It's very popular. Education is a very popular course. That's fine. But we need to make sure that the teacher education institutions are of quality. Because we're also losing money in terms of pre-higher education, in terms of out-of-pocket on the part of the students. So, para sa atin, leakage rin yan eh. So if you want to, if you have to have an education program in your school, make sure it's of quality. And make sure you have the faculty to teach it.

MATATAG curriculum

Q: So, let's talk about the professors, the teachers already teaching, na nag-cocomplain masyadong silang congested ang workload. Ano nang ginawa?

SEN. WIN: Well, yung matatag curriculum is a massive reform. So, we need to manage the new curriculum, which is the matatag curriculum to reduce competencies by 70%. So, they will implement what they call most essential learning competencies. And these competencies will be under the matatag curriculum. This coming school year, the 2025-2024 school year, the matatag curriculum will be rolled out. Grades, kindergarten, grade 1, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 7. Ito yung 4 grades that matatag curriculum will be rolled out in. So, but the goal of the matatag curriculum is to reduce the number of competencies and enable the teachers to teach all the competencies. In a survey, tinanong ang isang teacher, "using the old curriculum, do you finish all the competencies?" I think only 20 to 30% of the teachers said yes. 70% said we do not finish the learning competencies.

So, in other words, yung mga teachers themself, hirap sa pagtuturo because we're giving them too many things to teach. And at the same time, we also...

Because that's what the National Achievement Test will follow. That's the reason also why our children are not doing well in many of the National Achievement Tests. It's because they're not learning all the competencies. But they're testing...

Q: Ano ba yung mga competencies kaya?

SEN. WIN: Iba-iba eh. But, siyempre, in, for example... Because marami silang tinuturo. Marami silang tinuturo. So, we're just reducing it to the most essential. And this is the same in Singapore, the same in other OECD countries. And that is a massive reform. And I'm supporting that because matagal na sinasabi yan ng mga teachers natin.

Q: Ano yan? Reducing to a basic essential?

SEN. WIN: Most essential learning. They call it the most essential learning competencies.

Q: Okay. Ano yang most essential na yan?

SEN. WIN: Iba-iba, no? Depending on the subjects. For example, in math, of course, the basics, no? Like addition. Addition, subtraction...

Q: Ah, yun na lang specific.

SEN. WIN: Very specific na. One of those is one competency. For example, in English...may mga competencies doon. Let's say in History may mga ganun. So it's a very good reform and we are supporting it. Of course, we'll not see that in the next 3 years, kasi ang full rollout nga is the next 3 years. Nakikita pa natin yan maybe in the 4th or the 5th year.

Q: So ang start of that reform in education by the next school year that's still, sabi mo nga you're investing in the future. And so other than the two that you mentioned na education bills na nira-rush, are there any other education skills that you have?

SEN. WIN: So those are the two most important sa senior high school and sa early childhood. The rest are department orders.

Q: Pardon me for asking this but are you politically satisfied with the way that it's running?

SEN. WIN: Yeah, I'm very happy. For example, there are basics that I'm satisfied with, very happy because there are basic reforms, low-hanging fruit basic reforms that are now being implemented. Like for example, yung unloading non-teaching with the teachers. So teachers now, there's a DepEd order now, removing non-teaching tasks from teachers. For example, yung mga extra, for example, yung mga health tasks. Yung mga teachers kasi during the beginning of the school year, sila pang in charge ng deworming, diba, antay-kuto, diba, health concerns. Dapat health na yun. So they identified, I think, 50% of teachers. So there are 50 plus tasks, different tasks, non-teaching tasks assigned to teachers. So sobrang daming tasks, non-teaching tasks.

Q: Eh yung election

SEN. WIN: Nan-teaching rin yan. That's actually another issue. But in the regular day-to-day, there are 52 different non-teaching tasks assigned to teachers. Ang dami naman. Ang dami. Nagulat rin ako ang dami. Over the years kasi nagpatong-patong na. For example, cleanliness ng school. Gulayan para sa skwela. Sila rin in charge na. Ang dami niyan.

Q: Sabagay si Tony Lopez inaway niya yung taga-DepEd dahil biruin mo estudyante. The young pupils are trained to carry water, pail of water to their bathroom, kasi wala tubig. Galit na galit sila. Bakit? Bakit ang mga bata ang pinagdadala ng tubig?

SEN. WIN: Well, going back, now DepEd has removed all of those.

And then programming periodically for every budget, they will be allocating funds to increase yung tinatawag nating non-teaching personnel.

Q: Eh paano naman ang mga bata naman. Yung mga non-education related tasks. Is it being addressed?

SEN. WIN: Well, depende na yun sa school. Yung school naman have their own programs. For example, if that's part of their community participation, I don't know the context. Mayroon kasi minsan sila yung community participation. So the goal there is for teachers to have more time to teach and prepare.

Q: How many eight hours teaching?

SEN. WIN: No, six teaching hours. The two hours are for preparation.

Q: Then speaking of hours, di ba sa overpopulation natin, shortage of classrooms, how many? Three shifts? May boarding?

SEN. WIN: May iba. May three shifts. Unfortunately, because of our increasing student population, our student population is increasing about 4 to 5 percent a year. And then you also have typhoons that destroys our classrooms and school buildings. You also have dilapidated classrooms. Natural dilapidation of our classrooms. So all of that, you will need approximately 400 billion just to catch up on the classroom. So that's a large amount. We only allocate close to about 20 to 30 billion a year for classrooms. In other words, you will need 10 years just to catch up. But every year, dumadami yan. So we need the help of our local government unit, especially dito sa urban areas to build additional classrooms.

Q: Valenzuela City is more prosperous.

SEN. WIN: Yeah. So we're trying our best. Admittedly, meron din kami areas or meron kami schools that are congested as well. But we're trying our best to catch up. Lupa kasi dito is a problem. Even though you want to build schools, but you don't have the land to build schools. Because land is very expensive when you come here.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

Q: Like any school year, we're going to close the school year for this topic. Ngayon school year, ano ang closing? March pa ba? April?

SEN. WIN: May tayo. May. Because we're still operating under the old calendar.

Q: Ano ang report sa'yo, sir, na are we going to have a good bounty of graduating sa K-12?

SEN. WIN: Yes, I think you gave me an idea to push for that NC1, NC2. Maybe this coming graduate, itong new batch of graduates. I think you gave me an idea to push TESDA to already certified graduates. May budget na and May pa naman. May pa naman. So we'll try our best to push TESDA to certify these coming new graduates at senior high school with NC1, NC2. So that yung mga graduate na doon, makakaano na sila, makakahanap ng trabaho.

POWER SHORTAGE

Q: Can we shift, sir, sa amin? Sa other committee mo on energy? Kasi marami ngayon naglalabas ng mga...Actually, because of the investment issues of President Marcos, marami na kukuha mga offers ng renewable energy. And now, having a lot of nuclear, modular nuclear. What do you think? Panay may problem. Yung power shortage problem. Kasi kailangan, may way ahead ang projection ng demand and supply.

SEN. WIN: I think, short-term muna. El Niño is going to be a big concern for our country. For food security and energy security. Almost close to 10%, 10 to 15% of our power comes from hydro. So, meaning a big chunk of our hydro will experience drought. So their output will be curtailed. And that will impact some parts of our country. So we need to have a contingency plan for that. Especially during the hot months. So all the repairs should be done now. All the preventive maintenance should be done now. So that when summer comes, all the plants are running in full capacity. But we need to really monitor this very carefully. Like in the past, ito. Madalas natin pag-usapan, in the books, our reserves are quite high. But in actuality, because of the breakdowns, the maintenance, it's not so high. That's why every summer we already experience brownouts in the past. But because of El Nino, we might experience that again. So that's why we're calling on the Department of Energy to come up with a contingency plan to meet all the plan owners, to make sure that they don't do repairs during summer time. They also have feedstock, meaning supply of gas, supply of coal, because coal is still 50% of our capacity to make sure that all of the plants are ready to come to help. And also the reserves. Ito madalas nating pag-usapan, yung ancillary reserves. And we've been pushing fairness to NGCP. They've been increasing what we call the ancillary reserves. But we're also pushing ERC and DOE to make sure that 100% are contracted so that when El Niño comes, we have ancillary reserves ready to run after that. On the side of renewable energy, they also acknowledge that there is a lot of interest in terms of renewable energy. And the reason for that, there's only one reason. When DOE released, DOJ and DOE released that circular allowing 100% ownership, maraming nagka-interest. So that goes to show that liberalization sparks interest. And the interest is in complex projects, renewable energy, very complex renewable energy projects. For example, offshore wind. That's very, very complex. I don't think any domestic company for now can build that because the technology is very complex. But we're now seeing a lot of interest, in fact I've had a few offshore wind companies who are very interested to come to the field. So, andyan na yung interest. Ang kalaban lang natin, red tape. Yun ang kalaban natin and of course, corruption. So, we need to make sure that red tape, magkapatid kasi ito, red tape and corruption. So, we need to make sure that by rolling out red carpet, we ensure that they come in online as fast as we can. Hindi magkaroon ng complication. Hindi matapilok. At tulungan natin for them to come online. Hindi lang application online eh. Kasi apply ka ng apply. Wala naman online. So, we really need to make sure that yung trips ni Presidente, In fairness kay Presidente, he is attracting a lot of investors. But the secretaries are the ones implementing the application. So, it's useless that we will attract the investors. Pero pagdating naman dito, naiipit yung papeles. So, it's important that the secretaries and the bureaucrats follow through with the investment commitments.

NUCLEAR

Q: Yung modular nuclear?

SEN. WIN: The most feasible modular nuclear will come online probably 2027. But it's good that we talk about it. Because we need many things also. For example, a law on regulating nuclear. Wala pa tayo, ganun eh. Of course, where to put all of those. Citing issues, safety issues.

Q: Wala ka pang bill na ganyan?

SEN. WIN: Meron. Meron na akong finile na bill to establish a regulator for nuclear. So, the regulator will regulate safety.

Q: Kailan mo finile?

SEN. WIN: Last December?

Q: Last December. Kasi yun na nangyayari. Putting the cart ahead of the horse?

SEN. WIN: There are also interests in nuclear. In fact, I've been talking to some parties who are interested in nuclear energy.

Q: Dami yung U.S. diba?

SEN. WIN: But the small ones.Yeah, Korea is one. Very interested sila. But the small ones, the modular. They'll now online 2027.

Q: Ano yan sa U.S.?

SEN. WIN: Ang dami eh. U.S., Korea, halos lahat. Meron. China.

Q: Pero diba ang concept is to deploy the (inaudible)?

SEN. WIN: Yes. Even in Metro Manila. Because the Philippines in terms of consumption is not too big. That's why I think the small nuclear, the small modular nuclear will be acceptable. Because the big one. Most of the provinces would not agree to put it in their own provinces. But the smaller ones, smaller footprint, the safety is much higher. They would be acceptable in accepting those.

Q: So sa 2027, saan yan?

SEN. WIN: Marami. Sa U.S. mostly.

Q: Sa Pilipinas.

SEN. WIN: Wala pa naman area na. But the interest is there. It's good that the government is open. But again, we have to approach this with a lot of caution. And we have to make sure that the laws, the treaties, the regulations are in place. Nuclear may be clean and efficient. But safety is still a concern. So we have to address that safety issue.

SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT

Q: Last one na lang. Sinusulit ko paka-interview sa iyo dahil ito lang pagkakataon ko na ma-interview ka. I wrote it in my forum last week about the FIT. Feed-in-tariff. Diba nag-resume na naman ng collection starting February. Nakita ko yung aking electric bills. Naka-announce dun. We are now starting to spend it on FIT. Okay lang kasi yun yung pesos ka nun. FIT is for the renewable. Senior citizen discount. Mga less na mga peso. And I asked Joe of Meralco. What is this senior citizen discount? Diba discount yan? Why am I being charged? Eh senior citizen, why am I being charged? Tapos sa lower portion? Taxes. Nagbabayad na nga ako system losses. Ako pa tinatax. Pagdating sa senior citizen discount, may tax pa rin ako. Much higher. Ano yan, 8 pesos pa. Sabi ko, ano yan? Kala ko pa may discount. Ako na nga nagbabayad ng bayad. Binabayaran ko na yung senior citizen discount, I'm supposed to save it. And I'm now being taxed. More than that. Tapos, ang salot nga is the ERC guidelines. Implementing rules and regulations. And we are just complying with it as implemented for the collecting agency.

SEN. WIN: Well, on the issue of senior citizen discount. It's in the law that senior citizens get the discount.

Q: Yeah, but I'm paying for it. I'm senior citizen. Nakapangalan nga sa pangalan ko.

SEN. WIN: Hindi pwede yun. It's a discount to you. Being a senior citizen. I'll review that. But that's not correct. I'll take a look at that. But that's not correct. I mean, the whole point of the senior citizen discount is to extend the discount to our senior citizens. But not to pass on to us as consumers. It will be absorbed by the corporation. Mali yun and And not pass on yan. Not pass on. We cannot pass it on to us, consumers. Because lahat naman, whether you're a restaurant or a hotel or.. We'll look into that.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

Q: Senator, bakit kailangan ibalik ulit yung June na opening ng klase? Hindi po ba maghahabol ng lecture yung mga bata? May hirapan sila? Magkakaroon ba ng sakit? O hindi po ba magkakaroon ng problema ulit?

SEN. WIN: Hindi naman. And that's why I also support DepEd's move to return to the old calendar. In fact, nag-survey kami, almost 90% of our constituents wants to go back to the old calendar. Pero hindi pwedeng biglain yan. Kasi pag binigla mo, there'll be one year of no summer break. So you need to slowly revert back. And when we, in fact, conducted a hearing on that, there are pros and cons to reverting, there are pros and cons to staying with this calendar. Ang pinakamasama is the heat. In some parts of our country, especially in Tuguegarao, Isabela, napakainit. And a lot of our students suffer inside the classrooms, because their classrooms do not have air conditioning.

And a lot of the outdoor activities cannot be conducted. Also, sinasabi ng ibang mga psychologist, summer break is usually family time. That's what disappeared during the old calendar. So, that's why, for the child to grow holistically, it's not only academic. But you also need to spend time with your family, you need to go out with your friends. And that disappeared because of the movement of the calendar. So, we supported the reversion to the old calendar in which the summer break is through April and May. But that will happen in the transition now.

Q: Aside from considering the summer break, yung sama-pamilya, at saka yung heat. So, do we consider din po ba na naging effective po yung September na pag-open na klase ng mga bata? Naging epektibo po ba? Naging maganda po ba yung kinalabasan? O hindi, kaya kailangan pa rin ibalik yung June?

SEN. WIN: Yeah, if you remember, the reason why we moved the calendar is because of the pandemic. Nung 2020, we did not open school right away because they were printing the self-learning modules. We opened schoolsl on October 9 during that time. I remember that. So, because of that movement, natulak rin yung summer break. It was pushed. We didn't have a summer break. At that time, break was around, I think, July and then we just continued it for the next 2 or 3 years. So, we're now going back slowly to the old calendar. So, the only reason why we moved it, there was no compelling reason except COVID. So, we're just going back to the old. They're going to do it slowly until we go back. Because mawawala yung isang year na may break tayo. So, we're going to do it.

GASTPE

Q: Senator, last question on that. Yung sa subsidy, parang yung sa private, po ba matatanggal?

SEN. WIN: Yung subsidy, ang tatanggalin lang yung ibinibigay sa non-poor.

Because what we want is to also encourage poor students to study in private schools, or if your school is congested, that school can transfer students to private schools. So, the private schools, it's the students that receive the subsidy. We're subsidizing the student. So, they can still go to private schools, but we have to make sure that the subsidy only goes to poor students.

Q: So pagkagaling ka sa public, pumunta ka sa private, mababawasan?

SEN. WIN: Hindi naman. Basta poor ka. If you're a poor student, ang importante yung ma-prioritize ka. So, you need to prioritize some poor students. If you're poor, you can study in private schools. And the private schools also need to make sure that you come from marginalized families.

Q: So, paano po natin ika-classify na non-poor siya o poor siya?

SEN. WIN: That's why in one of the reforms that we're looking at, the school should make sure that you come from poor families. Like for example, you have a, let's say, a poor evaluation, assessment. Ngayon kasi wala eh. Any student can come there and get the subsidy. Basta may voucher ka lang. Kaya in my experience, yung mga kaklase na nasa Hokkaido every summer, sa Japan, sila yung pang nakakuha ng voucher. It's not morally correct. Ang GASTPE kasi is to utilize the private schools to help the poor and to decongest our schools. That's the GASTPE. But hindi siya, hindi ganun ang nangyayari. It's not decongested. may mga congested schools pa tayo and it's also funding non-poor students. Which is not correct.

Q: Eh, sir, pag hindi nga nakabayad, yun ang ginagamit, sir eh.

SEN. WIN: That's why we need to, yun ang lumabas, we need to fix that eh.

Q: Sa private school, Ang halimbawa private school siya. Pag merong kang outstanding na bill, yun daw ang pinagagamit?

SEN. WIN: Yun naman hindi tama. May mga ganyan na ako naririnig.

Q: Sir, following up ang P8B, yun ang nabanggit niyo nga sa GASTPE. It's not considered malversation, diba since it's used on other people na non-poor? Hindi yun yung intended beneficiaries ng program?

SEN. WIN: Well, because in the guidelines, it didn't specify to prioritize the poor.

So, that's why, in fairness to the implementers, especially the private schools, since it's not specified there, they were taking in students. So, that's why I'm pushing to fix or to tweak or to amend the department order. Because it's a problem with the department order. That's why the implementation became like that.

Q:Sabi mo, 2018 CoA report suggested that the DepEd created spatial body for that?

SEN. WIN: Yes, yes. It's very clear, if you want to copy that 2018 CoA report, it's very clear there that the guidelines are not clear. And the guidelines also lack explicit requirements that it should be only for poor students. Walang ganun sa guidelines.

Q: Sir, while it is not DepEd that specifically selected the students, sabi niyo nga po, they created an office. Is it an attached agency po ba to DepEd? Is it under DepEd.

SEN. WIN: It's under DepEd. It's a new office. It's only because you don't have infinite resources that can subsidize everyone. So, because we have very limited resources, we should prioritize the poor.

Q: So, pang-level niya, sir? Sir, ay committee hearings pa lang po?

SEN. WIN: Committee hearings pa lang po.

Q: Wala pa pong bill to amend.

SEN. WIN: Wala pa. Wala pa. But that's the result, we're thinking of coming up with a bill. Next hearing will be focusing on senior high school because we also heard the same problems and leakages in senior high school vouchers.

SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS

Q: Sir, I have another topic. The United Nations has raised a global alert for a shortage of teachers. So they recognize it's a global problem. And they projected that by 2030, there will be 44 million teachers and a deficit worldwide. Ang DepEd, they also recognize the problem, saying that in the Philippines alone, we have 58,000 teachers na kulang pa po. So, what can be done to prevent yung projection of the UN that by 2030, 44 million teachers globally ang wala?

SEN. WIN: Our teachers are unique. And they're very in demand. They're unique because they're highly skilled, they're highly knowledgeable, and they can speak English. In fact, pupunt ang EDCOM two weeks from now in Vietnam. And we found out, yeah, the EDCOM group.

Q: So, pupunta kayo?

SEN. WIN: March 20 to 24? We found out that a lot of Filipino teachers are teaching in Vietnam. I don't have the exact number, but we found a good number. And because number one, they're licensed teachers. Number two, they can speak English. So, they can adapt very fast. But there are pros and cons to that. Because what will happen is our teachers will be pirated abroad because of that shortage. And that's what I fear,that's what I have in mind because our good teachers will be pirated. They will be attracted by the big salaries being offered abroad. And then second, new teachers will also be pirated abroad. So, we might have a shortage in our own country of teachers.

I don't have the exact number. Ang basic entry level natin ngayon is nasa 22,000. I'm sure Vietnam's offering much more. That's why they're willing to move to Vietnam. So, two things, my concern is, our incumbent teachers will be pirated. And then number two, our new teachers will be lured to work abroad. And that will also create problems domestically or locally because we will have a shortage. And like I said, our student population is growing. Therefore, we will also need teachers to fulfill those, to fulfill the growing student population.

Q: Actually, sir, if you really talk to teachers, salary is really one of the concerns. It's the top concern. So, ano po ba yung hindrances na nakikita natin, sir, in terms of raising the salaries of teachers?

SEN. WIN: Admittedly, salary is their number one concern. Number two, their next concern is they're overworked because of too many non-teaching tasks. And DepEd has already addressed that. So, number one is much more complex because when we increase the salaries of teachers, we have to increase the salaries of the entire bureaucracy. But admittedly, me personally, I'm pushing to increase it because I saw in the ASEAN region, tayo pinakamababa or one of the lowest in terms of teacher salary. On the average, ASEAN is paying about 40,000 to 45,000. Singapore is even paying higher. So, that's why it goes without saying, Vietnam is paying higher because they're pirating our teachers. Teachers are attracted to work there, apparently. That's one area that we should look at, what the government should look at, how to increase teacher's salaries gradually to make it competitive.

Q: Yung mga teachers natin nagupunta sa Hong Kong as domestic helpers.

SEN. WIN: I heard. Oo, I heard. The whole world is looking for English-speaking teachers because they know that English is the world language. They want their children to learn how to speak English so they can move around. They can look for jobs abroad. And they can also do business. So, at an early age, they want their children to be exposed to English. At meron tayo nun because we're bilingual by nature.

Q: Sir, sorry, maraming pa akong tanong. On GAA, nabanggit po kasi ng DepEd. It's one of the limitations in terms of hiring and addressing yung backlogs natin ng teachers. Kasi every year daw po, parang they're only allowed 10,000 teachers. Yun lang yung kayang pasweldohin based on the approved budget. So, may magagawa ba tayo dun, sir? Because they wanted to increase the number to 20,000.

SEN. WIN: Actually, kulang yan, story na yan. It's also the process of hiring teachers, they've done. In fact, this has been a granule problem of DepEd. Yung hiring of teachers. It takes about 4 to 6 months to hire one teacher. Because it goes through the CSE. In fact, during one of our EDCOM meetings, we broke down the number of steps. And it takes about 4 to 6 months to hire a teacher.

So, we are now recommending that, we recommend to DepEd to decentralize the hiring of teachers so that they can hire faster. If they can hire at the regional level or even at the division level, they should do it. So that it won't go all the way to the central to hire teachers. And they should reduce the number of processes. Kasi ang daming processes eh, to hire teachers. So, yes, tama sila, 10,000 a year. Not because limited ang budget to hire teachers, but the process is so long. Takes so long. So, that's why hindi nilalagyan niyan. Because even though we add 20,000, 30,000, if you cannot hire 30,000, sayang yung pera. So, DepEd needs to fix that process first.

Q: So, can we guarantee sir na mapu-push po siya sa Senate? Pag in-address ng DepEd, on their side, yung bureaucracy or red tape in terms of hiring teachers, we can help them increase the slots allowed to them.

SEN. WIN: It is during the time of Secretary Briones we always got that. Because nakita ko na every year, out of the 10,000, only 2,000 are hired. So, not the entire 10,000. That's why the DBM is not giving them higher than 10,000 because they cannot hire anyways. It takes time. They have to fix the process. It's not a question of number of teachers, it's a question of process.

TECH-VOC EDUCATION

Q: Sir, yung on liberalizing tech-voc education, may existing bills na po ba tayo on that?

SEN. WIN: That will be part of the education chacha or the economic chacha.

Q: But di ba sabi mo, once na-approve yun ng plebiscite, saka lang kayo makakapag come up?

SEN. WIN: Yes.

Q: But kung hindi ma-approve ang plebiscite, you still push it.

SEN. WIN: Economic Cha-cha?

Q: Hindi, yung education lang, kung yung in case na sama, yun kasi yun lang na-identify.

SEN. WIN: Kung hindi ma-approve sa plebiscite. Well, when the plebiscite is a no, then that means ayaw ng tao, then I think it's not...

Q: Pero yung tech-voc maganda naman yung...

SEN. WIN: Maganda siya, maybe that provision lang. That's why the hearings are very important. All of these things are coming out.

Q: Are you for cha-cha or not?

SEN. WIN: I filed a bill. Economic lang, economic lang. I filed a resolution for... I filed a resolution on economic chacha. Yan yung RBH 1.

ECCD

Q: Sir, kanina nabanggit niya rin, you are finishing on the floor sa Senate yung Child Development Center for Barangay. What is our timeline on this, sir? Ganon po siya possibly mapasa sa Senate? And also, just to clarify, so this will be under DILG?

SEN. WIN: Yes. DILG. We put DILG, it will still be under DepED. DepEd is the chairman, DILG, the vice chairman. But we're now empowering the local...More child development centers, one per barangay.

Q: LGU po ang gagastos sa hiring of teachers?

SEN. WIN: Yes. Right now, LGU siya, so we're maintaining that. But tutulong din ang national. In that bill, the national government will help the 4th, 5th, 6th class municipalities.

GASTPE

Q: Senator, balikan ko lang po yung doon sa selection ng students, doon sa discount na tinatawag. Meron bang pananagutan ang school doon, doon sa kanilang mali na pagpili kung sino bibigyan ng discount?

SEN. WIN: Good question. In fairness naman, tinignan namin yung guidelines, they're just following the guidelines. But the guidelines are not in line with the law because of the different interpretation based on the COA report. But during the hearing, they agreed that equity should be observed and practiced. And therefore, they will review and change the guidelines through a department order. But just to answer your question, yung mga private schools, wala silang pananagutan. Because sumusunod lang sila sa guidelines.

Q: Maaaring kaya, kasi sabi ninyo kanina na parang kokonti yung mga parents na in-enroll yung anak nila sa private school para ma-avail yung discount. Maaaring kayang hindi nila alamin tungkol dito, sir?

SEN. WIN: Tama ka. Actually, lumabas din yan sa COA report. That some hindi alam ng mga parents itong subsidy na binibigay natin. So, one of the recommendation is to increase awareness of the subsidy na binibigay ng government. Kasi subsidy kasi, ang government ang nagbibigay ng subsidy.

To address number one, congestion. Para yung mga congested schools, ma-transfer nila yung students sa mga private schools na hindi congested. And then number two, to help the poor. To give the poor the opportunity to study in a private school. So, that's the objective of that subsidy.

Q: Sino kaya ang dapat na nagpu-push itong information?

SEN. WIN: It should be DepEd. Tsaka may isang organization called PEAC. PEAC is the organization that chooses the schools. So, the funding comes from DepEd and then PEAC chooses the schools. And then DepEd pays the schools. So, ganyan ang mechanism na.

Q: Sir, based na rin doon sa interest ng DepEd. Parang lumalabas na ang kanilang gustong mangyari sa ating mga estudyante. Kumbaga parang yung education is parang labor-based. Ibig sabihin, kaya sila nakikipag-collaborate sa mga businesses para malaman nila kung ano ang pangangailangan ng mga business para ituturo nila ito sa mga estudyante para pag graduate ng K-12 ay meron na sila agad employment. Ito ba in line sa paniniwala mo, sir?

SEN. WIN: Well, mayroong ang estudyante, they have choices. There are four tracks. Yung academic track, if you want to go to college and pursue more studies. The tech-voc track, if you want to work right away, so you will have skills. Then you have the sports, and then you have the arts. Ang pinaka-popular is tech-voc and academic. That's why we're enhancing the tech-voc track by giving them national certifications right away during senior high school. So that when they graduate, they carry two types of documents. Their diploma and their national certification.

Q: So para sa inyo, sir, pwede nating siyang sabihin na quality education. Yun ba yun?

SEN. WIN: Well, quality is still a long-term aspiration. Admittedly, it's not the quality that we are looking for. Because you'll see the PISA scores, you'll see the national achievement test. So quality is still something that we are not satisfied with. So that's why pinu-push namin itong mga reports, especially in tech-voc, so that we will improve quality.

K-12

Q: Last question na lang, sir. Ano po ang magiging kapalaran ng K-12 sa Senado, sir, in the future?

SEN. WIN: Ang K-12, in senior high school, we're fixing it. National certification is one. We're also making sure that at the senior high school level, na yung bata ay mabibigyan ng training. Kasi meron tayong tinatawag na apprenticeship or OJT. This is a good way of exposing the learner to real life situations. But it's not being maximized. So we're fixing that as well. At senior high school level, they're already exposed to real world scenarios. So that when they want to look for work, ang importante when they graduate, employed na sila. At senior high school, we should already be exposing them and giving them the necessary push. So we're fixing the senior high school level.

OVERPRICED LAPTOPS

Q: Ano na po update dun sa overpriced laptops?

SEN. WIN: Na-suspend na po yung ilang officials na DepEd. As far as I know, na-suspend yung ilang officials na DepEd. Incumbent officials na DepEd.

But I'm not sure whether the case went to Sandigan.

Thank you. Thank you, Marichu, for this opportunity. And I thank everyone for coming today and giving your questions. So hopefully, ang goal ng EDCOM, I don't know if I can speak on behalf of EDCOM, is to suggest reforms to our education system to improve learner outcomes. And also, what's more important, sinabi ng kasamahan natin, is to get them employed. The dissatisfaction comes because their children are not employed. So we need to fix the system first. Make sure that we're delivering quality education. Make sure that they're learning. Make sure that our teachers are competent. So once they graduate, they can be employed to help out their family. So that's what we're focusing on right now.

We're going out to Vietnam to look at their best practices. We discovered something in Vietnam kasi, Marichu. Vietnam and the Philippines are spending the same amount of money per student.

Q: Oh, really? How much?

SEN. WIN: We're spending around 11,000 US dollars per year and Vietnam is spending about 13,000 US dollars per year so Vietnam is spending around the same. Pero their grade is 100 points higher than us sa PISA. So they're performing much better than the Philippines but spending the same only per student. So meron silang ginagawa na much better than us. So they're much more efficient in terms of spending compared to the Philippines. So we want to learn from them. And in fact, in terms of performance, the US and Vietnam are the same in terms of PISA grades. So ganun kagaling ang Vietnamese in terms of academics nila.