More educational responsibilities eyed for LGUS

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SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian said the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) will study the possibility of assigning more responsibilities to local government units (LGUs) in delivering and improving basic education services.

LITERACY IMPROVEMENT Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian joins officials from the city and provincial government of Iloilo and education stakeholders to discuss the strategies to improve the reading literacy of students on July 8, 2025. PHOTO BY RJAY ZURIAGA CASTOR

Gatchalian, co-chairman of Edcom 2, made the statement following the success of the Proof of Concept (POC) pilot in Iloilo, which tested the devolution of certain education functions to LGUs.

He said the initiative could serve as a model for national implementation.

“We will study this. We will see if we can implement it in the next few years. There’s no timetable yet but definitely, there’s a potential. Since there are positive results in Iloilo, then it should also be implemented nationwide,” he said. 

The city and provincial government of Iloilo, Synergeia Foundation, Department of Education (DepEd), and other stakeholders work together to test the devolution of certain education functions to LGUs. 

Launched in January 2024, the POC has distributed specially designed reading workbooks to Grade 3 learners in pilot areas to support their literacy development. 

A baseline pre-assessment and follow-up post-assessment of Grade 3 learners’ reading skills in Hiligaynon, Filipino and English were then conducted to track progress and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.

After a year of implementation, 50 percent of students in the experimental group correctly answered 90 percent of a 50-item reading test, with an average score of 87 percent — a statistically significant improvement. 

Gatchalian said Iloilo is on the right track in addressing the education crisis with a research-based, localized approach. 

“It’s also important for us to look at the data because this is where we can really see what is happening to our education system in our own localities,” he said.

While basic education remains a national function under the DepEd, Gatchalian believes that LGUs are strategically positioned to drive local reforms.

“Mayors have political persuasion, they have moral persuasion, and they have financial persuasion. They have a budget,” he stressed. 

He added that education should not just be a shared responsibility but also the accountability of the LGUs.

The Iloilo LGUs plan to expand the reading program to include Grade 6, with mentor teachers providing remedial support for struggling students. 

They are also preparing to scale the education devolution model to all municipalities in the province and guide other LGUs interested in piloting the approach.

The program also aims to address non-academic barriers to learning, such as hunger and the lack of learning materials at home.