Despite being able to read, write, and perform basic math, over 20% of Filipinos aged 10 to 64 are unable to fully comprehend what they read—a gap that underscores a deepening crisis in the country’s education system.
This was revealed in the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) released on July 31 by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which now includes direct testing of comprehension skills for the first time.
While 93.1% of Filipinos are considered “basically literate,” only 70.8% qualify as “functionally literate”—those who can also understand what they read.
“For every nine individuals aged 10 to 64 who can read, write, and compute, two have difficulty with comprehension,” said National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa during a presentation held at SEAMEO INNOTECH in Quezon City in a GMA News Online report.
The gap has exposed what experts call a “hidden learning crisis,” one that had long been masked by high basic literacy rates. Previous surveys automatically considered anyone who completed high school as functionally literate, but PSA’s recent analysis showed that even some graduates could not understand what they read. That practice has now been scrapped.
“There’s no more automatic assignment. Everybody is tested now,” Mapa said.
The updated survey also paints a clearer—and grimmer—picture across regions and demographics. In Tawi-Tawi, only 1 in 3 residents aged 10 to 64 can read, write, compute, and comprehend, while the Bangsamoro region recorded the country’s highest illiteracy rate at 14.4%. On the other end of the spectrum, San Juan City and Benguet posted the highest functional literacy rates among cities and provinces, at 94.5% and 87.9%, respectively.
The data also showed that women are generally more literate than men, and that comprehension abilities tend to decline with age. Among those aged 60 to 64, less than 6 in 10 could fully understand what they read.
Education level remains a strong predictor of comprehension, but it’s not a guarantee. While 93.2% of post-graduates passed the functional literacy test, only 10.8% of those without formal education did. Mapa emphasized that even high school completion does not ensure real understanding.
“Completing high school does not necessarily mean you understand what you read,” he said.
Despite ranking slightly below Malaysia and Indonesia in ASEAN literacy standings, the Philippines’ more rigorous approach—testing over half a million individuals directly—sets it apart, according to Mapa.
Future FLEMMS results will include insights into digital literacy and adult competencies, including the country’s first participation in the OECD’s Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC).
Mapa stressed that these findings should not remain on paper.
“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 urged.
The next FLEMMS is slated for 2027, with a shorter interval meant to give the current administration time to respond and measure improvements.
