‘A WAKE-UP CALL’: Iloilo Sinks to Bottom in Literacy Survey as Aklan Posts Highest Rates

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Iloilo province recorded the lowest basic and functional literacy rates in Western Visayas in 2024, despite its top-performing schools and continued government investment in education.

The 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Iloilo with a basic literacy rate of 88.6% and a functional literacy rate of 68.4%.

Iloilo City posted similarly low rates with 89.9% in basic literacy and 70.7% in functional literacy, followed by Capiz with 89.3% and 70.9%, respectively.

Basic literacy refers to the ability to read, write, and perform simple math, measured among individuals aged 5 and older.

Functional literacy applies to individuals aged 10 to 64 and involves higher-order skills like interpreting information, drawing inferences, and integrating ideas.

Despite the results, the Department of Education Western Visayas (DepEd-6) said its internal assessments show better performance.

“In the province of Iloilo, based on the FLEMMS results, they are the lowest, but based on our contextualized assessment they perform well,” said Elena Gonzaga, Chief Education Supervisor of DepEd-6.

She cited favorable outcomes in the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment and the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory, both of which evaluate reading abilities and learning profiles.

Gonzaga added that the large size of the Iloilo Schools Division may contribute to some areas being underserved.

Still, she acknowledged that the FLEMMS results should be a “wake-up call” for the Curriculum Implementation Division of Iloilo to review and improve its programs.

“I’m not happy, but we can gain insights from external evaluations to assess performance,” she said, noting the need for stronger coordination with the division.

The Iloilo provincial government supports education through various initiatives to improve school infrastructure, develop learning programs, and expand youth-centered services.

One such initiative is the “Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya” (BES Probins) program, which aims to address literacy gaps and boost learning outcomes among public school students.

In 2024, specially designed workbooks were distributed to students in 10 pilot areas: Pavia, Mina, Batad, Guimbal, Cabatuan, Igbaras, Leganes, Lemery, Maasin, and Barotac Viejo.

The program also introduced educational modules focused on career guidance and voter education to help prepare youth for civic participation.

Iloilo is home to several top universities, including the University of the Philippines Visayas, West Visayas State University, Central Philippine University, University of San Agustin, and Iloilo Science and Technology University.

Aklan Posts Highest Literacy in Region

In contrast, Aklan posted the highest literacy rates in the region, with 92.1% in basic literacy and 73.9% in functional literacy.

“For Aklan, it is not only in the FLEMMS results that they perform well. They also score high in the regional achievement measure,” Gonzaga said.

She described Aklan as one of the top-performing divisions in academics and sports across DepEd-6.

Gonzaga credited Aklan’s performance to its strong partnerships between schools and local governments and consistent instructional supervision.

Regional data showed that 9 in 10 individuals in Western Visayas are basically literate, while 7 in 10 are functionally literate.

The region ranked 8th nationwide in basic literacy at 89.6%, and 6th in functional literacy.

Gonzaga acknowledged persistent literacy gaps and the need for ongoing interventions tailored to individual learning needs.

She cited challenges such as class suspensions due to extreme heat and erratic weather, poor internet connectivity, and survey participation issues as factors affecting literacy and survey results.

“In our context at the regional level, we have done our best, but the results push us to move, think, and rethink more interventions,” she said.

The 2024 FLEMMS in Western Visayas was conducted in October and surveyed 8,497 households, achieving a 98.42% response rate.

A total of 27,754 eligible respondents aged 5 and older were included in the study.

According to the PSA, the survey used a geo-enabled master sample based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, with equalized samples per province to avoid bias in larger areas.