https://www.facebook.com/118439811357682/

ConnecTV, World Trade Exchange, Binondo, Manila (2026)

09/09/2026

September 9, 2026

“A smart man makes a mistake, learns from it, and never makes that mistake again. But a wise man finds a smart man and learns from him how to avoid the mistake altogether.”

~ 𝗥𝗼𝘆 𝗛. 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀

09/09/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: After nearly eight years of space travel and billions of kilometers covered, the ambitious BepiColombo mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has entered a critical phase as it approaches Mercury.

A major milestone was successfully completed on September 3, 2026, when the Mercury Transfer Module (MTM), the part of the spacecraft that served as the mission’s main carrier and propulsion system—separated from the two science orbiters.

Mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, confirmed the operation after receiving a signal from the spacecraft, which was more than 200 million kilometers from Earth. According to the ESA, telemetry was normal and the spacecraft’s key systems remained in good condition.

The remaining BepiColombo spacecraft consists of Europe’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Japan’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio). They will conduct detailed studies of Mercury, the smallest and closest planet to the Sun.

BepiColombo’s journey to Mercury has not been a straightforward one. Since its launch in October 2018, the spacecraft has traveled an estimated 9.9 billion kilometers through the inner Solar System and completed nine planetary flybys to gradually reduce its speed and energy before it can finally be captured by Mercury’s gravity.

The MTM used solar-electric propulsion, harnessing energy from the Sun to convert xenon into plasma and generate continuous but low thrust. This allowed the spacecraft to travel vast distances while using less propellant than conventional propulsion systems.

The mission also became more complicated when the transfer module experienced a problem with the power output of its solar arrays, forcing engineers to adjust the spacecraft’s trajectory. Despite the setback, the mission remained on course and has reached its current stage.

However, the most challenging part of the mission is not yet over. According to the ESA’s current timeline, the spacecraft stack is expected to enter orbit around Mercury on November 21, 2026. The two scientific orbiters are then scheduled to separate on December 9 and 10, 2026.

Japan’s Mio will be placed first into its own polar orbit, while the ESA’s MPO will undergo additional maneuvers before reaching its final operational orbit in March 2027.

The mission’s main science phase is expected to begin in April 2027. BepiColombo aims to answer some of the biggest remaining mysteries surrounding Mercury.

The instruments aboard the two orbiters will study Mercury’s magnetic field, the composition and geological history of its surface, the planet’s internal structure, its interaction with the solar wind, its thin atmosphere or exosphere, and unusual depressions on its surface known as “hollows.”

The mission will also search for additional evidence of water ice inside permanently shadowed craters near Mercury’s poles.

Although Mercury is extremely close to the Sun and temperatures on parts of its surface can reach approximately 427°C, some areas near the poles never receive direct sunlight. As a result, some deep craters remain extremely cold, potentially allowing water ice to survive there for long periods.

BepiColombo is particularly significant because only a small number of spacecraft have conducted close-up studies of Mercury.

The first spacecraft to successfully make close observations of the planet was NASA’s Mariner 10 in the 1970s. It was followed by NASA’s MESSENGER, which became the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury and provided a wealth of new data about the planet.

BepiColombo now aims to build on the discoveries made by those two earlier missions.
In addition, BepiColombo will be the first mission to place two separate spacecraft into orbit around Mercury, allowing the planet to be studied simultaneously from different orbits and perspectives.

One of the mission’s biggest challenges is Mercury’s harsh environment because of its proximity to the Sun. The spacecraft must withstand extremely high temperatures, intense solar radiation and other conditions rarely encountered by spacecraft operating farther from the Sun.

For this reason, BepiColombo was designed with specialized thermal protection and insulation systems to shield its sensitive scientific instruments.

Even reaching Mercury’s orbit is far from a simple operation. According to the ESA, the arrival sequence is among the most complex planetary arrival operations ever undertaken by the agency, requiring a series of precisely timed maneuvers and separations.

BepiColombo is the result of nearly a decade of planning, engineering and space travel. Launched in 2018, it has relied on a series of gravity assists and solar-electric propulsion maneuvers to reach Mercury, a planet that is particularly difficult to approach because of the Sun’s powerful gravitational pull.

The mission is now entering its final stage. If everything proceeds as planned, more comprehensive scientific data from the two spacecraft will begin reaching Earth in 2027.

Scientists expect the findings to deepen humanity’s understanding not only of Mercury but also of the broader question of how rocky planets formed and evolved throughout our Solar System.

*The Tagalog version can be read in the comment section.

09/09/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: The Marcos administration will allocate Php 50 million to strengthen the coffee industry in Bukidnon, as part of broader efforts to increase local coffee production, raise farmers’ incomes, and gradually reduce the country’s dependence on imported coffee.

According to executive secretary Ralph Recto, the funding will be released through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) following his recent meeting with coffee growers, including Indigenous coffee farmers, in Bukidnon.

The funds will be used to purchase specialty coffee seedlings, farm inputs, and materials for establishing and expanding nurseries. These include parchment, chicken manure, nets, plastic bags, hoses, and plastic drums.

ES Recto said President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos, Jr. has directed the government to support coffee farmers “from seedling to market” so that they can not only increase the number of trees planted but also improve their yields, coffee quality, and incomes.

Bukidnon has set ambitious targets for its coffee sector. The province aims to double, or increase by 200 percent, its coffee production by planting up to 10,000 hectares of Arabica coffee and achieving an average yield of one kilogram of beans per tree.

It also aims to enter the export market for high-quality specialty coffee within the next decade by improving farming practices, processing, market access, and the entire value chain.

Part of the plan is the establishment of new coffee nurseries in various local government units (LGUs), including facilities in Kibenton in Impasugong and Bangcud in Malaybalay city.

Farmer cooperatives and associations will also be assisted in establishing or upgrading their nurseries in Impasugong, Lantapan, Pangantucan, Talakag, and Valencia city.

The government also needs to address challenges beyond seedlings, including the lack of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) and other infrastructure, to make it easier and less costly for farmers to transport their produce to processors, traders, and other markets.

The Philippines’ major challenge is not a lack of demand but low domestic production compared with market demand.

According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), domestic coffee production has historically been able to meet only about 15 percent of the country’s coffee requirements, based on an earlier industry assessment. A significant portion of local production comes from Mindanao.

Pressure on the industry is increasing as coffee consumption continues to grow in the country, alongside the rapid expansion of cafés, specialty coffee shops, and other coffee businesses.

In a 2026 assessment by the DA, Philippine coffee imports were projected to reach 378,000 metric tons, nearly 10 percent higher, with Vietnam and Indonesia among the country’s major sources. Coffee consumption in the Philippines was estimated at 3.78 kilograms per person.

This means that while more Filipinos are drinking and purchasing coffee, a large portion of the beans used by the industry still has to be sourced from other countries.
Bukidnon is not the only area being targeted by the government for expanded coffee production.

In Sultan Kudarat, the DA is preparing an approximately Php 2.5 billion farm-to-market road network that will provide access to an estimated 29,000 hectares of agricultural land that could be used to expand coffee production.

According to the DA, the country still needs to develop an additional 100,000 hectares to move closer to coffee self-sufficiency. Areas being identified for more aggressive coffee development include Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, and other parts of Mindanao.

Mindanao is crucial to this plan because a large portion of the country’s coffee-producing areas is located in the region.

One of the most significant developments in 2026 was the creation by the DA of the Coffee Industry Development Office (CIDO). Its goal is to consolidate and coordinate programs, funding, and policies for the coffee sector, which were previously spread across different DA units.

Its mandate includes developing programs, monitoring projects, coordinating with LGUs, the private sector, farmer organizations, and universities, and identifying gaps in policies and implementation.

This is important because the coffee industry has long faced challenges such as low farm productivity, limited access to modern equipment and inputs, infrastructure deficiencies, and an aging coffee farmer population.

For experts and industry stakeholders, simply increasing the number of coffee trees is not enough. The quality of beans, post-harvest processing, drying, roasting, packaging, and branding must also be improved so that farmers can capture a larger share of the value generated by coffee.

In this way, the Philippines would not only be able to sell raw coffee beans but could also expand the production of locally processed and specialty coffee products with higher value in both domestic and international markets.

This is also the direction of current government programs, which cover everything from production and infrastructure to processing and market access.

Aside from the PHP 50 million for Bukidnon, another Php 400.54 million has been proposed for the DA under the 2027 National Expenditure Program for coffee development.

This shows that support for Bukidnon is only part of a broader national strategy for the coffee sector.

The main objectives are to increase domestic supply, reduce dependence on imported coffee, strengthen farmers’ livelihoods, and make Philippine coffee more competitive in the international market.

The DA has also previously developed a national coffee roadmap aimed at increasing productivity and yields, reducing import dependence, and improving the quality of Philippine coffee.

The Philippines has clear potential to become a larger coffee producer because of its suitable climate, available agricultural land, and growing domestic market.

However, significant challenges remain, including low productivity per hectare, an aging farmer population, access to planting materials, post-harvest facilities, farm-to-market roads, financing, and stable market linkages.

Therefore, the true measure of new investments in the coffee industry should not be based solely on how many millions of seedlings are distributed. More important are the number of trees that become productive, the volume and quality of beans produced, the income earned by farmers, and how much of the country’s coffee demand can eventually be supplied by domestic production.

If Bukidnon and other coffee-producing provinces in Mindanao succeed in improving productivity and quality, this could become an important step toward building a stronger, more self-reliant, and globally competitive Philippine coffee industry.

*The Tagalog version can be read in the comment section.

09/09/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: The number of major crimes recorded nationwide dropped by 41.77 percent in August 2026 compared with the same month last year, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Based on PNP data, a total of 2,087 incidents of so-called focus crimes were recorded in August 2026, significantly lower than the 3,584 cases reported in August 2025.
This represents a decrease of 1,497 incidents in just one year.

The eight focus crimes monitored by the police are murder, homicide, physical injury, r**e, robbery, theft, motor vehicle theft, and motorcycle theft.

The largest decline was recorded in motor vehicle theft or carnapping, which fell by 67.74 percent, from 31 cases in August 2025 to just 10 cases this year.

R**e cases also declined significantly, dropping from 769 to 318 incidents, equivalent to a 58.65-percent decrease.

Meanwhile, motorcycle theft or motorcycle carnapping decreased by 53.64 percent, from 220 cases to 102 incidents.

Cases of physical injury also declined from 521 to 277, representing a 46.83-percent decrease, while theft cases dropped from 1,315 to 767, or 41.67 percent.

Robbery cases likewise fell by 33.16 percent, while homicide cases posted a more modest decline of 3.33 percent.

According to PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., the decline in crime incidents highlights the importance of sustained police visibility, crime prevention efforts, and the swift response to incidents.

However, he stressed that the figures should not be a reason for authorities to become complacent.

For the PNP chief, every figure in the crime statistics represents a real victim, as well as a family and community affected by the incident.

Alongside the decline in focus crimes, the PNP also reported that authorities seized an estimated Php 11.5 billion worth of illegal drugs during operations conducted from January through August 2026.

Over the eight-month period, authorities conducted 43,383 anti-drug operations, resulting in the arrest of 50,766 suspects.

Among the confiscated items were approximately 1.36 million grams of suspected shabu, more than 3.61 million grams of dried ma*****na leaves, and over 8.9 million ma*****na plants, along with other prohibited substances.

In August 2026 alone, police units conducted 5,306 anti-drug operations, leading to the arrest of 6,044 individuals. The illegal drugs seized during the month were estimated to be worth Php 599.89 million.

Aside from its crime prevention and anti-drug operations, the PNP is also set to strengthen its police stations and other facilities nationwide.

For 2027, the PNP has been proposed a Php 242.53 billion budget, higher than the Php 226.55 billion allocated to the institution for 2026.

Gen. Nartatez said assessments of the condition of police stations are ongoing, particularly those affected by recent tropical cyclones and heavy rains. The results of the assessment will be used to identify facilities that require new construction, repairs, or rehabilitation.

This is considered important because police stations are among the first places the public turns to when a crime, emergency, or situation requiring immediate assistance occurs.

The significant decline in crime figures is a positive development for many Filipinos, particularly communities concerned about robbery, theft, carnapping, and other criminal activities.

However, for some members of the public, a decline in national crime statistics alone may not be enough. What matters more is whether people actually feel safe in their barangays, streets, markets, transport terminals, and residential communities.

For the public, visible police presence, faster response times, well-maintained police stations, functional CCTV systems, community-based crime prevention programs, and prompt action on complaints remain important indicators of effective law enforcement.

While the PNP considers the decline in crime a positive indication of its ongoing programs, the challenge remains clear to sustain the downward trend, prevent a resurgence of criminal activity, and ensure that every Filipino feels safe and secure in their own community.

*The Tagalog version can be read in the comment section.

09/09/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: More Filipino workers may now have the opportunity to own their own homes following the partnership between the Pag-IBIG Fund and SM Development Corporation (SMDC), which aims to expand the range of housing options that can be purchased through Pag-IBIG Housing Loans.

On September 8, 2026, the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at making selected SMDC residential projects more accessible to qualified Pag-IBIG Fund members, including units that may be offered at preferential prices to eligible borrowers.

The agreement covers more than just financing. It also includes buyer education and homebuyer programs designed to help prospective homeowners better understand their housing options, the Pag-IBIG Fund financing process, and the requirements for loan applications.

The projects currently covered by the partnership include Coast Residences and ICE Tower in Pasay city, Spring Residences in Parañaque city, selected phases of Hill Residences in Quezon city, and SMDC Cheerful Homes 1 and 2 in Pampanga.

Other SMDC developments are also being considered, including SMDC Heights, SMDC Nature, and SMDC Symphony Homes, which represent various types of housing such as high-rise and mid-rise developments and house-and-lot communities.

Qualified members may now borrow up to Php 10 million under the Pag-IBIG Housing Loan program.

For qualified borrowers, a promotional interest rate of 4.5 percent is available for housing loans of up to Php 4.9 million, while a 5.75-percent rate applies to loans above Php 4.9 million and up to Php 10 million.

These promotional rates are available until December 31, 2026, subject to the program’s terms, conditions, and qualification requirements.

According to Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, who also serves as chairperson of the Pag-IBIG Board of Trustees, having a wider range of housing options is particularly important for workers who want homes located closer to their workplaces.

He said that with the increase in the maximum Pag-IBIG Housing Loan to Php 10 million, more Filipino workers can choose from a broader range of SMDC properties and pay for their homes in a more manageable manner over time.

Secretary Aliling emphasized that the partnership is part of the Marcos administration’s efforts to combine government support with the investments and capabilities of the private sector to help more Filipino families achieve homeownership.

He said such partnerships are an important component of the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, which seeks to expand Filipinos’ access to safe, decent, and affordable housing.

For Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive officer Marilene Acosta, affordable financing alone is not enough if housing options that fit the needs and budgets of workers remain limited.

According to CEO Acosta, working with developers and other stakeholders is part of the Pag-IBIG Fund’s broader strategy to provide more housing options that respond to the financial capacity and needs of its members.

This means that the Pag-IBIG Fund seeks to combine affordable financing with an adequate housing supply, giving prospective homeowners more meaningful choices based on their budget, preferred location, and family needs.

Under the partnership, members may choose homes based on their preferred location and ability to pay, while using the Pag-IBIG Housing Loan as their primary financing mechanism.

The participation of major private developers is also important to the Expanded 4PH Program because the government alone cannot fully address the country’s extensive housing needs.

According to SM Prime and SMDC president Jeffrey Lim, homeownership is an important goal that requires cooperation among the government, financial institutions, and property developers.

Through the collaboration among DHSUD, the Pag-IBIG Fund, and SMDC, he said homebuyers can gain access to better financing, suitable living spaces, strategic locations, convenient access, and communities where families can build their lives for the long term.

SMDC is among the private developers expanding its participation in the government’s housing initiatives. Other private developers have also previously expressed interest in providing additional housing units under the Expanded 4PH Program, including projects in Cavite and other areas.

Middle-income Filipino workers who may find it difficult to purchase homes in the commercial market due to high property prices, interest rates, and other expenses are expected to particularly benefit from the partnership.

Through government-backed Pag-IBIG financing and preferential pricing on selected units, the partnership seeks to make homeownership more attainable for workers who want to own a home without sacrificing access to employment, transportation, and other essential services.

However, prospective borrowers are still advised to carefully assess the total cost of the property, monthly amortization, down payment, insurance, association dues, and other expenses before taking out a housing loan.

Ultimately, the partnership aims not only to increase the supply of housing units but also to give Filipinos more practical opportunities to become homeowners, from choosing the right home and location to securing financing and ensuring long-term affordability.

*The Tagalog version can be read in the comment section.

09/09/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: The Supreme Court (SC) has reported that 463 judicial positions remain vacant nationwide, equivalent to 16.7 percent of all authorized judicial positions.

SC administrator Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta disclosed the figure during a hearing of the House of Representatives (HOR) Committee on Appropriations on the proposed Php 86.27 billion budget for the judiciary for 2027.

The issue was raised after Kabataan party-list representative Renee Co questioned why the country continues to face a shortage of judges despite the creation of additional Regional Trial Courts and Family Courts in various parts of the country.

According to administrator Gomez-Estoesta, the vacancies are not solely due to a shortage of applicants or delays in the judicial selection process.

The SC administrator explained that some courts remain classified as “unorganized courts” because they have yet to receive a Notice of Staffing and Classification Action (NOSCA) from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The NOSCA serves as the authorization for the establishment and funding of positions for judges and other court personnel.

Without the required document, the SC cannot immediately fill some of the vacant positions, even in areas where additional judges are urgently needed because of the high volume of cases.

Gomez-Estoesta said the issue is expected to be addressed through the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act, which provides mechanisms to grant the judiciary greater fiscal autonomy and facilitate the processing of necessary positions and funding.

Meanwhile, HOR Committee on Appropriations vice chairperson and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged the SC to expedite the approval of the law’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

Rep. Rodriguez said some newly created courts have remained unorganized for five to seven years, while litigants continue to experience delays in the resolution of their cases.

He stressed the need to fill the newly created judicial positions, noting that the shortage of judges and the growing backlog of cases are already being felt in many districts, cities, and provinces.

SC Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez said the draft IRR has already been submitted to the Court En Banc and is currently under review. Since the SC is on recess this September 2026, Justice Marquez said the Court is expected to push for the approval of the IRR when the Court En Banc resumes its sessions in October 2026.

However, Justice Marquez emphasized that some provisions of the law are self-implementing, allowing the judiciary to begin taking steps toward fiscal autonomy even before the IRR is fully approved.

These steps include proceeding with the filling of court positions and submitting vacant judgeships to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) so that the positions can be opened for applications from qualified candidates.

Once the judges are appointed, the necessary positions for other court personnel can also be filled to ensure that the courts are fully operational.

When asked whether funding for the filling of the vacant positions had already been included in the proposed 2027 budget, the SC said the process still has to go through the DBM because of the requirement for a NOSCA.

Rodriguez then sought clarification from the DBM. In response, DBMdDirector Carlos Castro said the judiciary currently has only three pending budget requests related to the creation of positions.

Director Castro, however, said funding could be sourced once the judiciary fills the positions, including from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF).

For 2027, the judiciary is seeking a Php 86.27 billion budget, approximately 22 percent higher than its Php 70.61 billion budget in 2026.

The proposed increase is expected to help strengthen the capacity of the courts, including the organization of newly created courts, the filling of vacant positions, and the hiring of additional court personnel.

For the SC, filling judicial vacancies as quickly as possible is crucial because a shortage of judges could further increase the workload of incumbent judges who are already handling large numbers of cases.

The issue of 463 vacant judgeships goes beyond the number of unfilled positions. It is directly linked to the justice system’s capacity to resolve cases more efficiently and reduce court backlogs.

As the judiciary awaits the approval of the IRR and the processing of the necessary authorizations and funding, expediting the organization of newly created courts and the appointment of judges and other court personnel is expected to remain among its key priorities.

*The Tagalog version can be read in the comment section.

09/09/2026

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗: There has been a clear improvement in the performance of Filipino students in the global education assessment, but the latest results also show that a significant gap remains between the Philippines and other countries in terms of student learning outcomes.

In the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on September 8, 2026, the Philippines recorded its highest scores since it first participated in PISA in 2018.

Across the three major areas assessed, the Philippines improved its scores compared with 2022:
● Science - 373 points, up from 356, or a 17-point increase
● Mathematics - 371 points, up from 355, or a 16-point increase
● Reading - 367 points, up from 347, or a 20-point increase

According to the OECD, a 20-point improvement is roughly equivalent to one year of learning based on its rule of thumb. This makes the Philippines’ improvement in reading particularly notable.

The change is significant compared with the Philippines’ first participation in PISA.
In 2018, when the country first joined the assessment, it ranked among the lowest-performing education systems in reading, mathematics and science.

In the 2025 assessment, the Philippines ranked 72nd in reading, 74th in mathematics and 77th in science, according to the presentation released by the Department of Education (DEPED).

However, it is important to note that the total number of participating countries and education systems also increased, from 79 in 2018 to 91 in 2025. Therefore, the change in rankings should not be viewed in isolation; the actual increase in scores is equally important.

One of the most significant aspects of the results was the Philippines’ performance in reading literacy. According to the OECD, the Philippines recorded one of the largest long-term improvements in reading among education systems with sufficient comparable data. Over roughly a decade of PISA cycles, the Philippines posted an estimated 38-point equivalent improvement over a 10-year period, higher than Cambodia and Türkiye under the same measure.

From a reading score of 340 in 2018, the Philippines rose to 367 points in 2025.
This is significant because the country’s improvement came amid an opposing trend in many other countries. According to the OECD, reading performance continued to decline across a large proportion of participating education systems, while average performance across OECD countries remained relatively low.

Despite the improvement, however, the increase in scores does not mean that the country’s learning crisis has been resolved.

In PISA, Level 2 is considered the minimum proficiency level, representing the point at which students have sufficient foundational skills to apply their knowledge meaningfully in real-world situations.

In the Philippines, only 32 percent of 15-year-old students reached Level 2 or higher in science. In mathematics, the figure was 21 percent, while 31 percent reached the minimum proficiency level in reading.

This means that approximately 68 percent of Filipino students in science, 79 percent in mathematics and 69 percent in reading failed to reach the minimum proficiency level.
Although these figures represent an improvement over previous results, they clearly show that ensuring that the majority of students acquire even basic competencies remains a major challenge.

Across OECD countries, approximately 74 percent of students reached Level 2 or higher in science, 65 percent in mathematics, and 69 percent in reading.

Another major challenge is the very small number of Filipino learners reaching the highest proficiency levels. According to the OECD, only a very small proportion of Filipino students reached Levels 5 or 6 in science, mathematics and reading, compared with an OECD average of roughly 6 percent to 8 percent, depending on the subject.

This shows that, aside from increasing the number of students who achieve basic proficiency, the education system must also strengthen learners’ abilities in critical thinking, complex problem-solving, information analysis and applying knowledge to unfamiliar situations.

PISA 2025 did not measure academic scores alone. The assessment also revealed several positive indicators regarding Filipino students’ attitudes toward learning.

According to the OECD, 79 percent of students in the Philippines said they were interested in many different things, higher than the OECD average of 73 percent.
Meanwhile, 78 percent said they tried harder when a task became difficult, compared with the OECD average of 60 percent.

These indicators also improved from 2022, including measures related to curiosity and perseverance.

This suggests that motivation, curiosity and willingness to persevere may play an important role in improving students’ academic performance.

One of the most important findings of PISA 2025 is the strong relationship between socioeconomic status and academic performance.

According to the OECD, 51 percent of Filipino students who took the PISA assessment belonged to the lowest international quartile in terms of socioeconomic status.

In science, students from the highest socioeconomic group scored an average of 76 points higher than those from the lowest socioeconomic group.

This means that classroom instruction alone cannot be the sole focus of education reforms. Students’ access to food, learning materials, technology, a conducive place to study, family support and other basic necessities can also have a significant impact on their ability to learn.

The assessment also highlighted other challenges. According to the OECD, 47 percent of Filipino students said they had experienced some form of bullying several times a month or more often, significantly higher than the OECD average of 20 percent.

Meanwhile, 39 percent of students said they were frequently distracted by their classmates’ use of digital devices during most or all science lessons.

Cyberbullying was another notable concern. Fourteen percent of Filipino students said that hurtful or unwanted information about them had been posted online without their permission several times a month. Students who experienced this scored, on average, 49 points lower in science than their peers.

Not all indicators were negative. School principals reported a decline in the perceived shortage of teaching staff compared with 2022. In 2025, 19 percent of students were in schools that reported some degree of difficulty due to shortages of teaching personnel, down from 43 percent in 2022.

Filipino students also reported high levels of teacher support. Eighty-six percent said their teachers were interested in every student’s learning, while 88 percent said their teachers continued teaching until the students understood the lesson.

For the DEPED, the PISA 2025 results indicate that some of the measures being implemented are beginning to produce results.

Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said the department studied the weaknesses identified in the 2018 and 2022 PISA results and introduced interventions involving the curriculum, remediation programs and access to technology.

Part of the preparations also involved checking whether schools had sufficient computer resources, particularly because PISA is administered through computer-based testing.

However, the bigger challenge now is how to sustain and accelerate the improvement.
PISA 2025 involved more than 760,000 15-year-old students from 91 countries and economies, making it a major international benchmark for assessing young people’s abilities in science, mathematics and reading.

For the Philippines, the results can be viewed as an important source of hope, but not yet as a reason for complacency.

There is now clear evidence that Filipino learners can improve. The next challenge is to make that progress broader and more inclusive, moving beyond a small group of high-performing students and enabling a much larger proportion of Filipino youth to develop sufficient skills in reading, mathematics and science.

*The Tagalog version can be read in the comment section.

ConnecTV

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

09/09/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request