CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, La Union – In a bid to raise literacy levels in the Ilocos Region, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), convened education stakeholders at Dagyaw 2025, held August 12 at the Sison Auditorium, Lingayen, Pangasinan.
DepEd Regional Director Tolentino Aquino presented the latest literacy and numeracy assessment results, highlighting persistent gaps in reading proficiency among learners.
Among the key barriers, Aquino identified insufficient community and parental engagement—and announced an initiative designed to change this trajectory: the Parent Involvement in Literacy Upgrade (PILU) program.
“Tayo ay naniniwala na malaki ang tulong ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga magulang sa edukasyon ng kanilang mga anak,” Aquino said.[We believe that parents’ involvement in their children’s education is of great help.]
PILU aims to equip parents with tools and strategies to support reading and learning at home, bridging the gap between classroom instruction and household reinforcement.
Aquino underscored that when parents take an active role in literacy development, students are more likely to master foundational skills critical for lifelong learning.
Education Undersecretary for Operations Malcolm Garma reinforced this message, noting that parental support is not limited to helping with lessons.
“The support of the parents may not only be the lessons but also by providing the right environment in the homes,” Garma said.
Garma also outlined complementary national interventions for School Year 2025–2026: the expansion of the learner remediation program under the ARAL Law, stronger partnerships with local government units and private organizations in improving sanitation and information and communication technology access, and additional incentives for teachers implementing literacy interventions.
Efforts to strengthen teaching capacity are also underway.
Currently, 20 tertiary institutions in the region offer ‘Teaching Beginning Reading’ as a stand-alone subject in basic education courses.
“Our goal is that all teachers know how to teach reading because reading is the foundation of learning,” said Johnson Sunga, education program supervisor from DepEd’s Curriculum and Learning Management Division.
CHED Regional Director Christine Nabor-Ferrer provided updates on higher education programs addressing literacy, while Mellen Borja of the Philippine Statistics Authority shared fresh data from the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), underscoring the urgency of targeted interventions.
To accelerate these initiatives, DepEd Ilocos continues to collaborate with Khan Academy, Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, World Vision, and Spring Stage Technology Services—organizations helping to provide resources, technology, and training to schools and communities.
Dagyaw 2025 brought together more than 500 stakeholders from public and private education institutions, local government units, and civil society organizations.
Participants committed to strengthening cooperation to ensure that every Ilocano learner has the opportunity to read, learn, and thrive.
By: Joan Diaz-Sabado
Contributed photos: Mary Ann Grace Dulay, EPS Curriculum and Learning Management Division