During the 2025 Open Government Partnership Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting in Taguig City, Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the critical need for digitalizing and decentralizing data to address the pressing issues within the Philippine education system. Angara pointed out that the sector faces numerous challenges, including declining learning outcomes, a highly centralized bureaucratic system, lack of accountability, resistance to innovation, and delays in the delivery of educational materials.
Angara proposed enhancing governance structures to facilitate data-informed management, which would involve decentralizing education services and empowering local offices to use data effectively in addressing specific educational challenges. He criticized the over-centralization of the system, which he believes hampers innovation and leads to inefficiencies and uninformed decisions. To combat these issues, Angara announced plans to develop data dashboards and systems to drive information-based actions and increase transparency in basic education data, thereby enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions and implement transformative reforms.
To address the delays in delivering learning materials, Angara committed to early procurement, efficient fund utilization, and timely program implementation. Additionally, the Department of Education (DepEd) is grappling with the suspension of USAID programs following a 90-day halt on foreign assistance ordered by US President Donald Trump. DepEd Assistant Secretary Roger Masapol stated that they are exploring alternative funding sources to continue critical activities of the affected programs, which include ABC+ for early grade learners, Opportunity 2.0 for the Alternative Learning System, the Gabay Project for learners with disabilities, Improving Learning Outcomes (ILO-Ph), and Urban Connect.
The priority programs needing funding are ABC+ at USD47.5 million, ILO-Ph at USD5 million, and the Gabay Project at USD2.77 million. Masapol mentioned that these programs align with Angara’s 5-point agenda and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directives to improve basic education. The agenda focuses on creating an enabling learning environment, enhancing teacher welfare, improving learner well-being, ensuring efficient learning delivery, and preparing a future-ready workforce.