LAST week, we analyzed the reading crisis that afflicts our students. But the thought that this only happens in the rural areas has been debunked by the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment, or CRLA, for the school year 2025–2026.
CRLA data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EdCom 2) showed Pasay City as having the highest number of struggling readers among early grade students, at 47.50 percent. Following within the 40-percent range, from highest to lowest, were Muntinlupa, Manila, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, Malabon, Mandaluyong and Pateros.
Parenthetically, Pasay City, which has been ruled by the same family for decades, shares the notoriety of having low reading scores with the other provinces of Mindanao, also ruled for decades by dynasties. The equation is simple: Keep the poor illiterate, so they can be bribed with money and fooled with promises with every election cycle.
The CRLA study also said that cities within the 30-percent range, in descending order, include Quezon City, Pasig, Marikina, Taguig, San Juan, Caloocan and Makati. Only Valenzuela had struggling readers numbering below 30 percent, at 27.44 percent. This can be traced to the fruitful efforts of former mayor Rexlon Gatchalian, who with brother Sherwin, have poured resources into Valenzuela’s public schools. The current mayor, though a sibling of the Gatchalians, seems to prove that many dynasties go downhill after the good work of the pioneering leader.
The situation was dire in cities outside Metro Manila. Zamboanga City posted the highest share of struggling readers at 60.74 percent. Iloilo City followed with 51.93 percent; Cagayan de Oro, 50.50 percent; and Tacloban with 49.95 percent.
These results follow the analysis of EdCom 2 that we are now in the midst of a “learning crisis.” An astounding 85 percent of students nationwide from Grades 1 to 3 have been classified as struggling readers. When they reach age 15, they have a weak grasp of mathematics, science and reading comprehension. This was shown three times, when the country participated in the Program for International Student Assessment, and received dismal scores.
An official of EdCom 2 said several factors are behind this. One is overcrowded classrooms, worsened by continuing urban migration with no increase in school capacity. Due to the classroom shortage, schools hold double or even triple shifts. This means shorter hours for formal education and big class sizes. Because of this, Juan and Juana cannot read, since they do not get individualized attention.
Among students who move to the cities from rural schools, the literacy gap is usually wider. This makes the burden heavier for teachers handling the transfer students. Teachers who handle two or three class shifts per day also suffer from “rapid burnout,” the EdCom 2 official noted.
What can we do to alleviate this dismal situation? In this space, we have already called for the building of more classrooms, hiring of more teachers and better Wi-Fi to widen the use of digital learning platforms.
Fortunately, the private sector is also pitching in. Lampara Books, together with several educators, authors and illustrators, have taken on active roles in addressing the challenge. It has just released its first set of titles for the year, featuring a collection of children’s storybooks and reading supplements aligned with Philippine culture and the arts.
The collection brings together educators, authors and illustrators who want to strengthen Filipino children’s foundational literacy. Moreover, they are also focused on teaching essential lessons about identity, community and culture among children.
At the core of this new set of books is a clear objective: to build reading foundations first, before introducing more complex ideas. This vision is shown in the flagship titles, the “Magbasa Tayo!” and “Let’s Read!” series.
Developed by reading specialists Victor Villanueva and Daisy Callado, these materials are among the first locally produced decodable texts designed to bring structure and organization on how reading is taught in the classroom. Traditional classroom instruction relies on memorization rather than familiarity with sound patterns, which can lead to confusion when students encounter the words in sentences.
Meanwhile, the Filipino counterpart, “Magbasa Tayo!”, integrates a localized version of this approach known as the Marungko method, developed by educators in Bulacan. Ultimately, the method builds literacy through small, cumulative learning steps. This allows children to develop at their own pace while boosting confidence and a good relationship with reading.
Only through collaboration on all fronts can we get to the roots of the education crisis and ensure that every child is given the opportunity to read — and to grow.
