
EcoWaste Coalition pushes for eco-friendly Brigada Eskwela 2025
In a statement on Friday, the group said that ecological Brigada Eskwelas will help in creating an environment free of pollution for students as the school year opens on June 16.
'We enjoin our schools across the country to conduct this unique expression of the Bayanihan spirit in the most eco-friendly manner possible to avoid garbage and pollution, which may pose health and environmental risks during and even after the Brigada Eskwela,' said EcoWaste Coalition national oordinator Aileen Lucero.
EcoWaste Coalition encouraged participating schools and individuals to follow a set of reminders: Reduce generation of preventable trash. Reduce release of environmental toxins. Reduce exposure risks from hazardous chemicals. Reduce emissions and residual waste
'An ecological Brigada Eskwela will also contribute to the advancement of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment," the coalition said. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
No winners of major lotto draws on Thursday, July 31
There were no winners of the major lotto jackpots drawn on Thursday, July 31, 2025, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. No Superlotto 6/49 bettor took the P51,493,635.80 prize after nobody guessed the winning combination of 47-11-06-28-37-01. There were also no winners for Lotto 6/42 after no bettor selected the numbers 24-40-03-09-36-07 which would have won the P9,212,984.00 jackpot. Check out the complete lotto results here. — RF, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
PSA: Only 70.8% of Filipinos aged 10–64 functionally literate
National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa presents the PSA's findings on functional literacy on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Sherylin Untalan/GMA Integrated News The Philippines is facing a comprehension crisis, according to newly released government data, with more than 1 in 5 Filipinos aged 10 to 64 having difficulty understanding what they read—despite being able to read, write, and compute. This alarming gap was exposed in the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), unveiled Thursday, July 31, by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). According to National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa, the basic literacy rate—the share of people who can read, write, and compute—is 93.1%, but only 70.8% are considered functionally literate, meaning they can also comprehend. 'For every nine individuals aged 10 to 64 who can read, write, and compute, two have difficulty with comprehension,' Mapa said during his presentation at SEAMEO INNOTECH in Quezon City. The 22.3-point gap reveals a troubling reality behind seemingly strong literacy numbers—what some observers now call a hidden learning crisis. New definitions reveal deeper truths This year marks a turning point in the way literacy is measured in the country. The PSA, in consultation with DepEd and EdCom II, revised its definitions: Basic literacy now includes numeracy alongside reading and writing. Functional literacy adds the crucial skill of comprehension, tested directly for the first time. Previously, even those who merely finished high school were automatically counted as functionally literate. But PSA analysis of 2019 data showed that 2% of high school completers could not comprehend what they read—prompting the agency to remove automatic classifications and instead assess every individual aged 5 and up. 'There's no more automatic assignment. Everybody is tested now,' Mapa said. A national problem with local faces Mapa emphasized that the updated FLEMMS is now more granular, with results available down to the provincial and highly urbanized city level—the most detailed literacy survey yet. Key findings show staggering disparities: Tawi-Tawi posted a functional literacy rate of just 33.2%, meaning only 1 in 3 residents aged 10–64 there can read, write, compute and comprehend. BARMM had the highest illiteracy rate at 14.4%. Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) had the lowest functional literacy among regions at 59.3%. In contrast, Benguet led provinces at 87.9%, while San Juan City topped all highly urbanized cities with 94.5%. Women ahead, seniors behind Women consistently outperformed men across literacy metrics: 74.1% of women aged 10–64 are functionally literate, compared to 67.6% of men. Age matters: The 20–24 age group had the highest functional literacy (78.3%), while seniors aged 60–64 had the lowest at 57.8%. Mapa said these patterns reflect both generational access to education and the growing impact of digital information environments, which are now being captured in new modules on ICT skills and problem solving. Education doesn't guarantee comprehension The survey reinforced the strong link between educational attainment and literacy: 93.2% of post-baccalaureate individuals were functionally literate. Only 10.8% of those with no schooling passed the functional literacy test. Still, Mapa cautioned against equating diplomas with understanding. 'Completing high school does not necessarily mean you understand what you read,' he said, aligning with EdCom II findings and the World Bank's 2022 learning poverty estimate that 91% of Filipino 10-year-olds could not read and comprehend a simple story. Mapa clarified that while methodologies differ, both reports signal the same problem — that school completion is no longer a reliable measure of learning. Philippines still competitive in ASEAN—barely The PSA also compared the country's performance against ASEAN peers. Using the standard 'can read and write' definition: The Philippines scored 94.6%, slightly behind Malaysia (95.7%) and Indonesia (96.7%). But unlike most countries that rely on proxy answers (from a household head), the Philippines tested individuals directly—a more rigorous method. 'We directly tested over half a million individuals, five years old and above,' Mapa said, noting that this sets the Philippine data apart from most ASEAN states. More data to come: digital literacy, adult competencies The PSA announced that further results from FLEMMS will be released in the coming months, including: A new Digital Literacy module, measuring skills in data handling, content creation, online safety, and collaboration. The Philippines' first participation in the OECD-aligned Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), covering 11,000 households. From national data to local action Mapa said PSA's goal is not only to inform national policymakers, but also to empower local governments by providing literacy data tailored to their cities and provinces. 'We want LGUs to own the data—this is your province's result, your city's challenge. What actions should your local government take?' he said. The next FLEMMS is scheduled for 2027, a shorter three-year interval to help track progress before the end of the current administration. — BM, GMA Integrated News

GMA Network
3 days ago
- GMA Network
PSA warns vs. fake CENOMAR online
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) warned the public of the so-called temporary certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR) that is being offered online. According to Emil Sumangil's report in '24 Oras' on Wednesday, the PSA clarified that there is no such thing as a temporary CENOMAR. 'Once and for all, hindi nawawala yung marriage. So halimbawa, gusto mo magpakasal at mayroon ka ng previous marriage, siguro ang maganda nilang tignan ay annulment of marriage,' said Emilio Querubin Jr., chief of PSA Civil Register Management Division. (Once and for all, marriage will never cease. So for example, if you want to get married again, you can consider getting an annulment of marriage.) Overseas Filipino worker 'Cynthia' has been separated from her husband since 2012. As someone working abroad, the temporary CENOMARs being offered online caught her attention. 'Nakikita ko po kasi sa groups na ang daming nag-o-offer doon tapos marami rin ang nagpapagawa,' she said. (I saw in the groups that many are offering and availing them.) '...Ang akin lang, sana yung mapalaya ko yung sarili ko sa marriage na ilang taon nang hiwalay kami. Iniisip ko na magagamit ko 'yun someday,' 'Cynthia' added. (For me, I just want to free myself from the marriage I've been into. I thought I could use such a document someday.) One online post was offering such a service, claiming that the temporary CENOMARs can be availed even when you are married, and they claimed to be officially issued by the PSA. However, the PSA explained that CENOMAR serves as proof that a person is single or has no record of marriage in the Philippines. The agency warned that such fake documents can easily be validated by embassies. 'Once na matingnan po 'yun at mag-request yung end user ng kopya, iko-compare doon sa binigay sa kanila, mahuli-huli at mahuli-mahuli sila kasi yung marriage hindi naman nawawala sa database ng PSA,' said Querubin. (Once it's checked and the end user requested for a copy, they will compare it with the one they have. So you can still be caught because marriages will remain in PSA's database.) GMA Integrated News reached out to the social media user who posted about the temporary CENOMAR but did not give a response. Meanwhile, the post was already deleted. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News