Marching Toward Mastery: DepEd's Bold Preparations for Global Education Benchmarks

Wazzup Pilipinas,!?

In the echoing halls of the Department of Education, a quiet but resolute transformation is underway. With Education Secretary Sonny Angara at the helm, the Philippines is not merely aiming to participate in global education assessments—it is preparing to make a statement.

Since stepping into office in July 2024, Secretary Angara has heeded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s mandate to elevate learning outcomes in the country. And at the forefront of this crusade is the Philippines' re-entry into the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)—an international large-scale assessment (ILSA) that serves as the world’s benchmark in evaluating 15-year-olds' competencies in reading, math, and science.

But this is not just about taking another test. This is about accountability. This is about advancement. This is about charting a new course toward educational excellence.

The Anatomy of Preparedness

The Department of Education (DepEd) has not left anything to chance. With the bitter lessons of the 2022 PISA participation still fresh—where logistical setbacks and limited readiness marred the nation’s efforts—Sec. Angara initiated a full-scale, systemic preparation that began in October 2024.

He convened his Executive Committee (Execom) and launched a meticulous internal audit, examining over 4 million 15-year-old learners who fit the PISA demographic. From school infrastructure to teacher capability, and from academic readiness to community support systems, no stone was left unturned.

By November, an audit framework was implemented to ensure that participating schools were not only capable but positioned to thrive. Come December, an OECD-authorized contractor identified 208 diverse schools across the archipelago—representing the full range of public, private, and science institutions—ensuring an accurate sampling of the nation’s educational landscape.

Empowering the Frontlines

In what could be described as a decentralized revolution, the Execom assigned regional focal persons to monitor and support each school’s readiness. The gaps—be it in internet access, laptop availability, or even exam-site infrastructure—were addressed swiftly with targeted maintenance and augmentation funds.

Equally vital was the intellectual empowerment of teachers. In collaboration with Khan Academy Philippines and Frontlearners, DepEd reinforced educators’ subject matter mastery and digital fluency, ensuring they could support learners in both content and context.

By February 2025, the final list of student-participants was released—randomly selected to ensure fair representation. These learners weren’t merely handed test dates; they were guided through digital familiarization sessions designed to sharpen computer literacy, analytical thinking, and quantitative reasoning.

A Turning Point in March

March 2025 marked the start of the computerized PISA rollout. For the first time, the Philippines approached the global examination not with apprehension but with confidence. As the exams conclude this second week of April, a new precedent has been set.

No longer reactive. No longer unprepared. This is a DepEd ready to lead.

Accountability for the Future

“There are always questions when you take on global comparisons,” Angara said in a candid Execom session. “But the only way to grow is to measure yourself—honestly, and with humility.”

Indeed, the Secretary is embracing both criticism and aspiration, seeing PISA not as a contest, but as a compass—a tool to navigate the direction of Philippine education in a world that demands more than mediocrity.

As the nation awaits the official results by September 2026, the Department understands that success is not only measured by scores but by how well it listens to what those scores reveal. For Angara, these data points will not just be figures—they will be fuel for reforms.

The Bigger Picture

This is not just about a test.

It’s about breaking the cycle of unpreparedness. It’s about recognizing where we fall short, and acting on it with courage. It’s about building an educational system where no child is left behind—not in capability, not in opportunity, and not in vision.

In the global classroom, the Philippines is no longer sitting at the back. With determination, strategy, and a fierce commitment to accountability, it is stepping forward—ready to learn, ready to lead, and ready to rise.

For more educational updates and inspiring stories, follow Wazzup Pilipinas—the nation’s most credible online community blog dedicated to empowerment through information.

Hijacked Voices: How the Party-List System Betrays the Marginalized

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

What was once conceived as a beacon of hope for the silenced sectors of our nation has now become a tool of manipulation for the powerful.

Out of 156 accredited party-lists vying for congressional seats, a staggering 86 have been flagged by election watchdog Kontra Daya as failing to represent marginalized groups—the very sectors the system was designed to empower. That’s 55.13%, more than half of the party-list population, now tainted with affiliations to political dynasties, economic elites, or military forces.

This isn't just a statistical failure. It's a betrayal.

From Advocacy to Advantage

The 1987 Constitution envisioned the party-list system as a mechanism to uplift underrepresented voices—farmers, workers, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, the urban poor, women, the youth, and persons with disabilities. Instead, it has morphed into an arena where power-hungry players exploit legal loopholes to secure additional seats in Congress, further solidifying their hold over national policy and public funds.

Take the top-performing party-lists in recent surveys and polls. Among them:

4PS is tied to the Abalos political clan.

ACT-CIS finds its roots in media powerhouses like the Tulfo brothers and political ally Rep. Eric Yap.

FPJ Panday Bayanihan is backed by Sen. Grace Poe, the Dolor family of Oriental Mindoro, and Mayor Paton of Naujan.

Tingog Sinirangan is closely associated with the Romualdez family, a political powerhouse in Leyte.

And it doesn’t stop at political affiliations.

Ako Bicol is reportedly backed by Sunwest Construction and Development Corporation, a major business entity in Bicol.

TGP (Tutok to Win Party-list) is allegedly supported by Teravera, a known contractor for DPWH projects.

Duterte Youth, on the other hand, is frequently criticized for its close ties with military and police institutions.

So the question looms: Are we still giving voice to the voiceless, or are we simply giving more megaphones to those already deafeningly loud?

The Math Doesn’t Lie—but the System Does

The original idea was noble: empower the marginalized. But the realpolitik of Philippine elections—where popularity trumps principles and money moves mountains—makes that dream almost impossible. Marginalized sectors simply don’t have the logistical and financial power to match the electoral machinery of established political names and corporate giants.

Even when genuine sectoral representatives attempt to run, they’re drowned out by the sheer scale of media campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and vote-buying schemes employed by more “resourceful” groups.

The flaws of the party-list system are no longer minor cracks. They are gaping chasms that undermine the very spirit of democracy.

A System in Need of Overhaul—Not Cosmetic Reform

We cannot allow the status quo to persist. This is not just a matter of electoral reform. This is a matter of justice.

The system needs a complete overhaul—one that includes stricter vetting of party-list nominees, real sectoral accreditation, clear definitions of marginalized representation, and a ban on affiliations with political clans, big business, and the armed forces.

The very essence of representation has been stolen—and we, the Filipino people, must reclaim it.

The Verdict

It’s time we stop pretending the party-list system is working. It isn’t.

It’s become a loophole exploited by dynasties and corporations to insert more of their kind into the halls of Congress. It does not uplift the marginalized; it marginalizes them further by offering a false sense of representation.

Overhaul the party-list system. Restore its integrity—or scrap it entirely.

Because if we continue to allow wolves in sheep’s clothing to sit under the banner of the oppressed, then we are not only failing our democracy—we are mocking it.

PANATA NG MGA UMALOHOKAN Para sa Kaalaman, Kalikasan, at Kinabukasan

PANATA NG MGA UMALOHOKAN

Para sa Kaalaman, Kalikasan, at Kinabukasan

Umalohokan Para sa Kaalaman, Kalikasan at Kinabukasan

April 13, 2025

Simbayanan ni Maria Community Foundation, Taguig City

Kami, ang mga tagapaghatid ng tinig ng bayan — ang mga Umalohokan ng makabagong panahon — ay muling naninindigan, nagkakaisa, at lumalaban para sa mas mataas na layunin.

Sa harap ng lumalalang krisis sa ating kalikasan, ang laganap na maling impormasyon, at ang pagkitil sa kinabukasan ng susunod na henerasyon, kami ay nanunumpa:

Na itaguyod ang KAALAMAN —

Kami ang ilaw sa dilim ng kamangmangan. Sa bawat salita’t mensahe na aming ihahayag, sisiguraduhin naming ito'y batay sa katotohanan, agham, at kabutihang panlahat. Kami ang magiging tulay ng edukasyon sa bawat komunidad — walang maiiwan, walang mapagkakaitan ng tamang impormasyon.

Na ipaglaban ang KALIKASAN —

Kami ang tinig ng mga bundok, dagat, kagubatan, at lahat ng nilalang na hindi makapanaghoy sa harap ng pagkasira. Sa bawat kwento naming ituturing, isusulat, at ipapahayag, bibigyang halaga ang pangangalaga at pagbabalik-loob sa kalikasan. Kami ang magiging tagapag-ingat ng mundo para sa mga susunod pang salinlahi.

Na pangalagaan ang KINABUKASAN —

Ang bawat hakbang namin ngayon ay ambag sa bukas. Sa pagbabahagi ng kaalaman at adbokasiya para sa kalikasan, sinisiguro naming may maririnig pang tinig, may makikitang kagubatan, at may mararamdamang pag-asa ang kabataan ng kinabukasan.

Ito ang aming tipan.

Hindi ito basta workshop lamang, kundi isang panibagong sigaw ng paninindigan. Hindi ito simpleng pagtitipon, kundi isang pag-aalab ng layunin.

Mula sa Umalohokan ng kahapon tungo sa Umalohokan ng kinabukasan — kami ang magiging daan, tinig, at tagapagbantay ng kaalaman, kalikasan, at kinabukasan.

Sa ngalan ng bayan. Sa ngalan ng katotohanan. Sa ngalan ng kinabukasan.

Kami ay naninindigan. Kami ay Umalohokan.