‘No Cebuano child left behind’: EDCOM 2 calls for local action as 31,600 young learners fall behind

Kimberly Capuyan

More than 31,600 early-grade students across Cebu Province are falling behind in reading comprehension, exposing a critical early learning deficit that threatens the long-term academic prospects of young Cebuanos.

The Second Congressional Commission of Education (EDCOM 2) revealed the alarming figure during the Ramon Aboitize Foundation’s Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Convergence 2026 held in Cebu on October 1.

Data presented by EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee highlighted that key areas such as Talisay City, Toledo City, Consolacion, Liloan, and Balamban register the highest concentrations of struggling readers.

• City of Talisay – 2,933
• City of Toledo – 1,331
• Consolacion – 1,211
• Liloan – 1,111
• Balamban – 865

According to EDCOM 2’s report, unaddressed literacy gaps before Grade 4 tend to widen over time, leaving many junior and senior high school students unable to comprehend grade-level coursework.

The commission explicitly tied these learning deficits to early health conditions, citing National Nutrition Council data showing that roughly 25,000 children under five in Cebu Province suffer from stunting.

Research cited during the presentation indicated that stunted children face a 16 percent higher risk of grade failure, with cognitive damage from stunting after 24 months of age proving largely irreversible.

Under the National Education Plan 2026–2035, the national government aims to boost the proportion of Key Stage 1 learners reading at grade level from 47.74 percent to 75 percent by 2028, eventually reaching 95 percent by 2035.

In light of these national benchmarks, Yee urged provincial governments to establish clear, quantified local targets for reducing stunting, expanding early childhood education, and curbing early-grade illiteracy.

“If these are our national targets, what targets will Cebu as a province set in terms of reducing stunting, improving access to early childhood education, and also addressing illiteracy at Grade 3? Is it improving by 5 or 10 percent?” Yee said.

“Whichever the number is, it is important to quantify so that we know how much effort and resources we all need to bring together, to ensure that no Cebuano child is left behind,” he added.

He expressed confidence in the region’s capacity to overcome the crisis, pointing to Cebu’s network of universities, active civil society organizations, and dedicated local government leadership.