NEW! Kakayanin Natin: Empowering Citizens to Participate in Improving Education Governance in the Philippines
with the UP President Edgardo J. Angara Fellowship
Riz Supreme B. Comia, Kenneth Isaia I. Abante, Jeshamar C. Villasis, Hamiñia Charlothe G. De Leon
December 2024

Priority Area #27: Decentralization and participatory governance

Promoting civic participation in education governance is imperative to overcome these challenges and construct a more relevant and accountable education system in the Philippines. By fostering increased engagement of stakeholders in the policymaking process, we can ensure that a diverse range of perspectives is considered, thereby contributing to a more equitable and effective education system that better serves our learners and their communities.

NEW! Innovations and their Enablers and Barriers in Philippine Basic Education: Policy and Governance Implications
with the UP President Edgardo J. Angara Fellowship
Maria Regina Hechanova, Camille Therese C. Yusay
December 2024

Priority Area #27: Decentralization and participatory governance

This study examined the barriers and enablers of innovation in public schools in the Philippines. A participatory action research workshop was conducted with 31 school leaders, including regional directors, division superintendents, principals, school heads, and specialists from 10 regions in the Philippines. The workshop revealed the existence of innovations in academic programs and methodologies, student support programs, resources, and governance.

NEW! Understanding Labor Market Outcomes of Graduates in the Informal Economy
with the UP President Edgardo J. Angara Fellowship
Lisa Grace S. Bersales
December 2024

Priority Area #28: Connectedness of learner pathways throughout the system

The main objective of the study is to determine the labor market outcomes of graduates of the following programs with focus on their participation in the informal economy: Senior High School (SHS), Post-secondary non-tertiary programs, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), College programs, and Post-college programs. Data from the PSA’s Labor Force Surveys revealed that women with no schooling are the most vulnerable to informality. TVET is able to provide intervention, however, only for younger men of no formal schooling. Most SHS graduates do not participate in the labor force as most pursue higher education. When they do get employed after SHS, they are most likely in informal work.

NEW! Developing Regional Economic Complexity Through Product Specialization
with the UP President Edgardo J. Angara Fellowship
Krista Danielle S. Yu
December 2024

Priority Area #11: Access to Quality Higher Education

Economic complexity is the knowledge of a country’s society as reflected through the goods that it produces. It is measured based on the diversity and ubiquity of a country’s exports. Ubiquity refers to the number of countries that can manufacture a particular product. This study identifies the needs of the industry in terms of training and skills and the involvement and investment of industry in training.

NEW! Navigating the Generative Artificial Intelligence Era: Charting the Course for Curricular Reform in Higher Education in the Philippines
with the UP President Edgardo J. Angara Fellowship
John Paul C. Vergara
December 2024

Priority Area #11: Access to Quality Higher Education
Priority Area #14: Graduate Education, Research, and Innovation

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have responded by issuing policies on AI use, primarily to address academic integrity concerns. Institutional responses include advice on course policies and assessment design, support for use of AI tools to improve teaching and research, and curricular interventions to address the AI literacy gap. While some Philippine HEIs have responded to GenAI developments, there is a need to ensure HEIs across the country institute similar reforms. These reforms can be articulated through memorandum orders issued by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), or CHED Memorandum Orders (CMOs), since it is generally recognized that HEIs are mobilized when these CMOs are issued.

NEW! Using Artificial Intelligence to Support Basic Education Teachers in Under-resourced Contexts
with the UP President Edgardo J. Angara Fellowship
Maria Mercedes T. Rodrigo, May Mari3 P. Talandron-Felipe
December 2024

Priority Area #13: Digital transformation and educational technologies

This study has two overarching goals: to determine how Filipino public-school teachers use artificial intelligence (AI) for their academic and administrative tasks, and to propose an agenda for AI use to support teachers in their work.

Are K to 12 Students in the Philippines Overworked — by Design?
with De La Salle University
Maria Fe. Carmen L. Dabbay, Gerardo L. Largoza, PhD
November 2024

Priority Area #7: Curriculum and Instruction

This study examines the workload of K to 12 students in the Philippines, revealing that they spend significantly more time on academics than international and ASEAN standards. Filipino students, from elementary to senior high school, experience excessive instructional hours and lack clear homework guidelines, leading to overwork by design. For instance, Grade 3 students face up to 9 extra hours of instruction per week compared to international recommendations, and junior high students spend around 36 hours weekly in class. Senior high school students’ total academic workload reaches 55 hours per week, exceeding that of first-year college students. The study recommends setting evidence-based limits on instructional time and streamlining the curriculum to reduce student overwork and promote a balanced education.  

Tech-Mediated Learning Resources for Developing Foundational Reading Literacy Skills in K to 3: Literature Review, Infrastructure Situation, Materials Availability Review, and Policy Recommendations for Philippine Schools
with De La Salle University
Sterling M. Plata, David Michael M. San Juan, Jasper Vincent Alontaga, and Arthea Arese Quesada
November 2024

Priority Area #5: Learning Resources

The study examines the integration of technology in teaching reading literacy to early-grade students in the Philippines, highlighting challenges such as poor literacy performance and insufficient access to materials, electricity, and the internet. Through literature reviews, surveys, and interviews, it identifies the lack of resources and teacher training as key barriers to effective tech-mediated learning. While emphasizing the importance of digital tools, the study also stresses the need for traditional materials to prevent over-reliance on screens. Key recommendations include upgrading infrastructure, aligning digital resources with the MATATAG Curriculum, enhancing teacher training, and fostering partnerships for accessible resources, aiming to improve literacy outcomes through a balanced use of technology and traditional methods.  

Options for Improving DepEd Procurement for Textbooks, TVL Resources, and Assessment Services
with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Nepomuceno A. Malaluan & Josephine Maribojoc
October 2024

Priority Area #5: Learning Resources
Priority Area #6: Measurement of Learning Outcomes

The study explores the procurement challenges faced by the Department of Education (DepEd) in acquiring textbooks, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) tools and resources, and assessment services. It highlights inefficiencies that result in budget underutilization, delivery delays, and difficulties in administering large-scale assessments, which have hindered the timely provision of essential learning resources, especially K to 12 textbooks and TVL equipment for senior high schools.

Behind the Slow Start: An Assessment of Early Childhood Care and Development in the Philippines
with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Valerie Gilbert T. Ulep, Lyle Daryll D. Casas, Aaron Carlos G. Manuel, John Paulo D. Mendoza, Joy Bagas, and Kim Leonard G. Dela Luna
May 2024

Priority Area #1: Nutrition and feeding
Priority Area #2: Supply-side factors
Priority Area #3: Demand-side Factors

This report assesses the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) in the Philippines, aiming to support the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM2) of the Philippine Congress with empirical evidence for programmatic and legislative reforms. Our assessment uses a comprehensive framework that analyzes the health, nutrition, and early education outcomes of Filipino children and examines their access to essential health, nutrition, and early education services. We analyze demand- and supply-side inputs such as governance, financing, infrastructure, and human resources to identify factors that explain the poor and inequitable access to these basic services.

Throughout our analysis, we highlight key principles for optimizing ECCD returns: (1) timely provision of crucial interventions during critical life stages, (2) ensuring comprehensive access to essential services, and (3) upholding quality standards with far-reaching impacts on health, nutrition, and education outcomes.

Cross-Border Student Mobility and Improvements in the Philippine Tertiary Education Program Relevance and Learning Outcomes NEW!
with Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Connie Bayudan-Dacuycuy, Paola Ellaine D. Luzon, and Suzanne J. Zambrano
November 2024

Priority Area #15: Internationalization of Higher Education

Mainly using qualitative data, this paper analyzes whether and how cross-border student mobility contributes to enhanced Philippine tertiary education programs. The paper recognizes that the intake of international students is a product resulting from cross-border and home- based internationalization initiatives that are mutually reinforcing to improve programs and learning outcomes.

An Evaluation of the Tertiary Education Subsidy Program: Context, Input, Process, and Product NEW!
with Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Connie G. Bayudan-Dacuycuy, Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr., Anna Rita P. Vargas, and Ma. Kristina P. Ortiz
December 2024

Priority Area #11: Access to Quality Higher Education

This study evaluates the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), a key component of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931), which aims to provide financial support to underprivileged Filipino students in higher education.

Economics of Satellite Campuses NEW!
with Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Catherine Roween C. Almaden
December 2024

Priority Area #11: Access to Quality Higher Education

This research provides a comprehensive comparison of the financial, educational, and socio-spatial considerations in establishing State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) satellite campuses versus enhancing support mechanisms for existing SUCs in the Philippines. It highlights their critical role in expanding access to higher education, particularly for underserved and geographically isolated communities.

Strengthening CHED’s Developmental and Regulatory Capacity NEW!
with Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Fernando Aldaba, Joselito Sescon, and Karl Eli Alconis
December 2024

Priority Area #11: Access to Quality Higher Education

This study aims to propose recommendations on how to enhance the regulatory and developmental mandate of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). It conducted a brief review of CHED’s strengths and weaknesses over the years in terms of its regulatory and developmental mandates along with the other countries’ higher education regulatory and developmental systems and good practices. The study also conducted key informant interviews of both public and private HEI administrators, CHED offices, and accreditation bodies to get their perspectives on strengthening CHED’s regulatory and developmental mission.

Home and School Environment Component: Sense of Belongingness and Bullying for the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) NEW!
with Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Alejandro N. Herrin, Judith B. Borja, Nanette Mayol, Frank M. Largo, Jan L.J. Alegado, Isabelita N. Bas, and Michael R.M. Abrigo
December 2024

Priority Area #10: Home and school environment

This paper aims to supplement information from PISA 2018 using the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (LCSFC). In particular, it will explore relationships among schooling outcomes, bullying, and a common set of child, belongingness, family, and community background factors. For this analysis, we measured schooling outcome as on track with schooling, i.e., children are in age-appropriate grades, and no missed/repeated school year.

Expansions, Quality, and Affirmative Action in Public Higher Education Institutions
with Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Connie G. Bayudan-Dacuycuy, Christopher James R. Cabuay, and Paola Ellaine D. Luzon
November 2024

Public higher education institutions in the Philippines have experienced expansions in campuses, programs, and enrollments. Alongside these expansions are challenges that can limit the public higher education institutions’ capacity to deliver quality education and ensure access to disadvantaged groups. This study analyzes the nature of expansions in state and local universities and colleges, identifies issues and challenges with these expansions, and provides policy recommendations to ensure that expansions in public higher education institutions occur with commensurate measures that safeguard the quality of educational products and services while guaranteeing access to disadvantaged groups.

The Impact of Trifocalization on Philippine Education Outcomes and the Coordination Issue
with Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Vicente B. Paqueo, Johanna Marie Astrid A. Sister, Solomon R. Sarne, Marie Louissie Ynez U. Lavega, Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr., Michael R.M. Abrigo, and Ricxie B. Maddawin
October 2024

This study finds that trifocalization has had no statistically significant impact on education outcomes at conventional confidence levels. The empirical results are consistent with findings drawn from the key informant interviews.

Further along, the study discusses why a trifocalized PETS might not work as expected. Given its findings, the report lays some reform ideas that EDCOM II might want to consider and focus on to enable and incentivize the trifocalized system to work better, especially as regards coordination and other issues that key informants interviewed regard as fundamental. Thus, one of these recommendations is the establishment of an independent agency invested with oversight responsibilities and powers to hold DepEd, CHED, and TESDA and other related agencies accountable for their performance in the PETS.