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Galing sa Puso (GP) Party-list supports the Department of Education's (DepEd) commitment to help Filipino students under the flexible learning scheme, but feels that more should be done.

Laywer JP Padiernos, first nominee of the GP Party-list, made this call following the DepEd's reported distribution of 87 million modules and 74,000 tablets to assist students engaged in flexible learning.

While acknowledging the government’s efforts, Padiernos noted that these actions should only be the beginning and that more needs to be done to address the challenges faced by learners.

"Isa itong magandang hakbang pero marami pang kailangang abutin ang ating kampanya para sa pagbibigay ng dekalidad na edukasyon sa mga kabataan (This is a good move, but our campaign must reach more people for the sake of providing quality education to the youth)," Padiernos said in a statement.

According to Padiernos, the government must allocate greater investments in educational initiatives, as many Filipino students continue to fall behind.

A 2022 World Bank (WB) report on learning poverty revealed that nine out of 10 Filipino children cannot read or understand simple text by the age of 10, which highlighted the severity of the country's education crisis.

Padiernos says that while the distribution of learning tools is commendable, it is insufficient in addressing the larger systemic issues.

The aspiring congressman pointed to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which mandated that education should receive the highest priority in the national budget.

Lawyer JP Padiernos, GP Party-list first nominee (contributed photo)

"Edukasyon ang susi sa magandang kinabukasan ng mga kabataan. Ito ang susi sa progresong inaasam ng ating bansa (Education is the key to youth's bright future. It is likewise the key to the progress we yearn for)," Padiernos added.

GP Party-list also raised concerns about the country’s lack of educational infrastructure. According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), the Philippines faces a shortage of 165,443 classrooms, forcing over 5.1 million students to attend classes as “aisle learners,” where they study in overcrowded or inadequate spaces.

Moreover, the Basic Education Facilities Fund, which reached a peak of P118 billion in 2017, has been significantly reduced to P28 billion by 2025 due to underutilization, further aggravating the situation.

Padiernos emphasized that addressing these gaps requires sustained government action and long-term planning.