Law Summary

Purpose of the Proclamation

The proclamation aims to declare strong support from the Philippine government for the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD), which seeks to enhance global literacy levels.

• Literacy is identified as a fundamental right.
• Approximately 2.4 million Filipinos aged 10 and above are identified as illiterate.
• Around 7.8 million Filipinos are functionally illiterate.
• There are 3 million out-of-school youth at risk of reverting to illiteracy.

Context and Rationale

This section highlights the global literacy challenge and its implications for the Philippines.

• The UNESCO Call for Action emphasizes that nearly 70% of the world's non-literate population resides in Asia.
• The UNLD aims to increase global literacy levels by 50% by 2015.
• The proclamation aligns with the goals set in the Dakar Framework for Action, which includes:
  • Expanding early childhood education.
  • Ensuring access to free and compulsory quality primary education by 2015.
  • Meeting learning needs of young people and adults.
  • Improving adult literacy levels by 50%, especially among women.
  • Eliminating gender bias in education by 2015.

Government Responsibility

The proclamation outlines the duties of the Philippine government in supporting literacy initiatives.

• The government is mandated to eradicate illiteracy and improve literacy levels among citizens.
• The Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) plays a pivotal role in coordinating literacy programs and policies.
• The Department of Education (DepEd) is designated as the principal agency for promoting basic education, as per Article XIV of the Constitution.

Implementation Directives

The President directs specific actions to support the UNLD goals.

• The Secretary of Education is tasked with providing leadership in achieving the UNLD objectives.
• The LCC is identified as the technical arm of the Secretary of Education for this purpose.

Execution and Authority

The proclamation is executed under the authority of the President of the Philippines.

• Signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on April 21, 2004, in Manila.
• The proclamation is formalized with the Presidential seal and the signature of Executive Secretary Alberto G. Romulo.

Key Takeaways

• The proclamation emphasizes the critical importance of literacy as a fundamental right and its link to socio-economic development.
• It establishes a framework for government action to address illiteracy in the Philippines through strong inter-agency collaboration, particularly under the guidance of the LCC and DepEd.
• The government is committed to achieving the goals set forth in the UNLD and the Dakar Framework for Action by the year 2015.