Jamayka Rhose Pascual

Following a viral television incident on civic awareness among students, Malacañang remains unfazed by growing concerns over the Philippine education system.

Photo Courtesy of The Manila Times/ABS-CBN News.

During an episode of ABS-CBN’s It’s Showtime, a contestant admitted being unfamiliar with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) because it “did not appear” in her social media feed.

Her response quickly gained attention, sparking concerns on whether schools are effectively teaching students about basic government institutions.

The incident has also reignited concerns over the country’s struggling education system, which has consistently ranked among the lowest in global assessments.

In the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Philippines placed last in reading comprehension and second-lowest in mathematics and science among 79 countries.

While in the latest PISA results for 2024, the country remains on the bottom four among all participating countries, reflecting little to no improvement from the previous results.

Despite the public reaction, the Malacañang dismissed the incident, arguing that one person’s lack of awareness does not indicate a national education crisis.

During a press briefing at the palace on March 6, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro assured the public that there is nothing to worry about. 

“Sa ating pagkakatingin dito, siguro ang pagkukulang ng isang tao ay hindi naman ito agad-agad magri-reflect ng kakulangan ng ginagawa ng pamahalaan para maiangat ang lebel ng ating edukasyon,” she said.

Castro then that the president is not bothered by the issue due to the government’s ongoing efforts in addressing education gaps.

“Hindi po nababahala ang ating Pangulo dahil sa atin po, sa panahon po ngayon, lahat po ng paraan ay ginagawa po natin para maiangat po ang lebel ng ating edukasyon,” she stated.

Among these efforts are the implementation of curriculum revisions and teacher training programs to improve student learning outcomes.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has also allocated budgets to the education sector in the 2025 national budget.

Castro added that students also have the responsibility to educate themselves, particularly with the vast amount of information available online.

“Kung may pagkakamali or pagkukulang ang isa ay maaari naman niyang i-level up iyong kaniyang sarili lalung-lalo na marami na po tayong mapag-aaralan through the internet, using Google search, and lahat ng maaari nating i-search using the computer system,” Castro emphasized.