22/09/2026
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ || ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ญ
Like a tree reaching for the sun, the Philippines is risingโbut its roots still need nurturing.
After years of confronting persistent learning gaps, the Philippines finally has reason to look upward, as the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results offer a glimpse of progress. Filipino 15-year-olds posted scores of 367 in Reading, 371 in Mathematics, and 373 in Science, marking gains of 20, 16, and 17 points, respectively, from 2022. The gains, particularly in reading, offer a hopeful sign that the countryโs efforts to address persistent learning gaps are beginning to show results. Yet, with its scores still trailing the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) averages, there is still a long way to go before the country can finally say it has reached the top.
According to the OECD, only about 31% of Filipino 15-year-olds reached Level 2 or higher, the baseline proficiency level, in Reading in PISA 2025. In Mathematics, only about 21% reached that level, while Science recorded around 32%. Such figures reveal that many Filipino learners are still falling short of the foundational skills they are expected to develop. While a few points gained are certainly worth acknowledging, they cannot erase the difficulties that remain. What matters now, therefore, is whether this progress will be sustained, strengthened, and extended to those who have yet to feel its impact. Otherwise, if these gaps persist year after year, there is a danger that the country could grow too comfortable with simply being better than before instead of asking whether it is good enough. Improvement, then, should spark urgency, not acceptance of the gap.
Moreover, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo โSonnyโ Angara put the countryโs progress into perspective, saying, โWe should be proud of how far our learners and teachers have come, but we should be even more determined about how much farther we can go.โ His words strike at the heart of the matter: progress is something to be proud of, but it also comes with the responsibility to keep moving. The Philippines may have gained higher ground, yet the climb is far from easyโand certainly not over. Therefore, the countryโs upward movement should not be mistaken for reaching the summit; rather, it should be the very reason to climb higher.
However, looking at the scores alone misses the larger problem. The real concern lies in the barriers that continue to keep Filipino learners from reaching the expected standard, a reality reflected in another figure that cannot be overlooked. Another data from the OECD reveal that 47.2% of Filipino students reported experiencing bullying a few times a month or more, placing the Philippines third-highest among 89 participating education systems. Cyberbullying, in addition, presents another concern, affecting 13.9% of students. More tellingly, these figures reveal what test scores cannot: the realities Filipino learners carry into the classroom. When bullying becomes part of the school experience, its effects can reach beyond the lesson itself. Such challenges make it clear that there is still much to address beyond the numbers.
That is why the country cannot afford to treat its gains as the finish line. If learners are expected to perform better, they must also be given an environment that allows them to do so. Thus, government efforts to close learning gaps must continue beyond short-term programs and reach the students who have been struggling for years. Schools, meanwhile, have a responsibility beyond teaching lessons; they must foster classrooms where students can learn without fear and without feeling left behind. Parents and communities have a key role to play, too, because education does not end when the school bell rings. The Philippines may still have a long way to go, but there is no reason to settle for how far it has come. The climb must continue, the roots must be strengthened, and progress must reach even those still waiting for a chance to rise. #
โThe Aquarians
