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In 2018, Rex Wallen Tan of the Government-Academe Industry (GAIN) network declared that ‘while the consensus is that the Philippines is superior to its neighboring countries in terms of English proficiency, the advantage is greatly at risk with the improvement of English literacy in other countries such as Singapore and Thailand.’

This distressing news prompted Sen. Pia Cayetano to say that ‘just by looking at the data, the English proficiency of our college students is the same as Malaysian Grade 6 students and Japanese taxi drivers. Nakakahiya, nakakaawa tayo.’

For decades, English proficiency has been our primary advantage, fueling economic pillars that provide essential middle-income jobs and opening opportunities worldwide for our professionals. However, this advantage now faces a two-front challenge: aggressive educational reforms in neighboring countries and a persistent foundational skills gap at home.

The Billion-Dollar English Imperative

Our national economy’s growth engines are critically dependent on English-driven industries.

IT-BPM sector: The information technology and business process management industry is a powerhouse, closing 2024 with $38 billion in revenue and employing 1.82 million Filipinos.

OFW remittances: Remittances from overseas Filipino workers, a lifeline for millions, reached a record $38.34 billion in 2024, secured by Filipinos whose English skills make them globally sought after.

Digital economy: Up to 1.5 million Filipino online freelancers leverage their English abilities on international platforms, making the country a top global destination for digital work.

These sectors require a consistent supply of talent with high-level communication skills to continue thriving.

A new competitive landscape: The Asean race

While historically a leader in English, our ASEAN neighbors are rapidly closing the gap through deliberate national initiatives, which threaten our competitive edge and ability to attract high-value jobs.

It seems that we have grown complacent with our perceived advantage in English proficiency and cannot accept that other nationalities are catching up or have already surpassed us.

Malaysia’s National English Language Roadmap (CEFR B2 for College), Vietnam’s National English as a second language project (2025 to 2035) and Thailand’s mandatory adoption of the CEFR English language tests are prime examples of this strategic push. Beyond ASEAN, nations like Taiwan and Japan are also prioritizing English, intensifying the global competition for talent where English proficiency is the key battleground.

The foundational skills gap at home

This external pressure from our neighbors is compounded by a severe educational crisis at home. International assessments such as Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed in 2022 that over 75 percent of Filipino students are low performers in mathematics, science, reading and creative thinking. In 2022, compared to 81 countries, the Philippines ranks sixth lowest in both mathematics and reading, while it now ranks third lowest in science.

This foundational weakness persists throughout the educational system, leading to a shocking outcome that millions of Filipinos have finished high school despite being functionally illiterate.

A national response to a global threat

Recognizing this urgent threat in 2018, I met with the GAIN Network led by Lyceum University president Peter Laurel and Rex Wallen Tan to discuss this distressing issue.

We started laying the foundational groundwork to enhance the nation’s global competitiveness. The first crucial step was forming the Technical Working Group for the National Roadmap for Global Competitiveness in Communication Skills (TWG-NRGCCS) and providing a grant to fund the meetings with educational stakeholders.

While some sectors and universities wanted CHED to require the inclusion of mandatory English in the curriculum, I argued that this was not a language issue. Instead, we should view English proficiency as a strategic advantage for Filipino graduates, especially in fields such as engineering and technology, medicine and allied health, tourism management and teacher education. These are degree programs where our graduates are highly recognized and tend to practise their professions worldwide.

This TWG-NRGCCS was instrumental in rolling out a multi-pronged national strategy that includes:

Democratizing education: CHED provided a grant to develop free Open Educational Resources (OERs) covering CEFR proficiency levels A2 to B2, which are now publicly accessible on the IAS CHED YouTube channel. In parallel, TWG-NRGCCS members led by Rex Wallen Tan volunteered their expertise to help create the Duolingo ‘English for Tagalog Speakers’ course, which now provides free learning to more than one million users.

Standardizing proficiency: The TWG successfully oriented 94 percent of all state universities and colleges (SUCs) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), establishing a unified, international benchmark for language skills across the country.

Driving national adoption: The influence of this framework has expanded beyond higher education. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has now adopted the CEFR for all language programs under its National Language Skills Center (NLSC), ensuring a consistent standard for both academic and technical-vocational tracks.

A strategy for economic survival

This CHED-industry-academe collaboration is not merely educational upgrades; these are critical to our national economic survival. By elevating English proficiency, the Philippines can directly address the skills gap, reinforcing the very foundation upon which our most vital industries are built and sustained.

This initiative must now be rolled out to cover more universities nationwide and expand across academic disciplines.

Securing our economic future depends on winning this global competition.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said over national radio Friday, October 3, that the Department of Health (DOH) is next on the radar of anti-corruption crusaders, after uncovering alleged large-scale corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), particularly in flood control projects.

‘Not only DPWH – what’s happening in the DOH is getting close, too,’ he said, referring to mounting concerns over alleged irregularities in the health department following corruption complaints against Health Secretary Ted Herbosa and five other officials.

They were accused of misusing P44.6 million worth of government-procured psychiatric medicines, which were allegedly turned over to a private group without due process.

‘Si (DOH Secretary Ted) Herbosa, malapit na ‘yan,’ Magalong said.

Lawmakers have also flagged the DOH’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), citing unfinished or unusable health centers, with some described as ‘ghost’ facilities.

Others, meanwhile, remain non-operational due to a lack of personnel.

Magalong said the efforts of his group, Mayors for Good Governance, are not limited to infrastructure projects, stressing that public funds are also being wasted in other critical areas, including healthcare – a concern that directly affects ordinary Filipinos.

However, his actions have drawn criticism. Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon questioned Magalong’s own record, citing a P110-million tennis and parking facility project in Baguio linked to Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction. Ridon urged Magalong to also explain his involvement in the project.

Magalong, who resigned from the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) after questions over a possible conflict of interest, may need to present stronger evidence of alleged corruption in the DOH, similar to what he submitted against DPWH officials.

Before stepping down from his post as ICI adviser and investigator, Magalong had turned over documents and other evidence to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which helped jumpstart ongoing corruption probes.

The DOH has yet to issue a formal response to Magalong’s latest claims.

Therma Visayas Inc. (TVI), an Aboitiz Power Corp. subsidiary, has resumed partial operations at its Cebu power plant following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province earlier this week.

The company confirmed that Unit 2 of its Toledo City coal-fired facility returned online at 3:51 a.m. on October 2 after clearing safety and structural checks, and is now supplying electricity to the grid. Unit 1 is scheduled to restart by October 5 pending final inspection.

Meanwhile, East Asia Utilities Corp. (EAUC), a 37.2-megawatt plant under AboitizPower located in Lapu-Lapu City, reconnected to the Visayas grid at 12:25 p.m. on October 1.

TVI said in a statement that it is coordinating with the Department of Energy, the Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to mitigate the earthquake’s impact on power supply and ensure grid stability.

The company added that it will provide further operational updates as it works to restore full capacity at its facilities.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is warning the public against groups claiming to provide assistance to victims of fraud.

In its latest advisory, the SEC urged the public to exercise the highest degree of caution against certain individuals or groups operating Facebook pages, online communities, and other social media platforms that appear to offer help to scam victims.

The SEC said these platforms are, in fact, designed to defraud them a second time.

Such schemes are referred to as ‘recovery’ and ‘advance-fee recovery’ scam by the SEC.

‘These online accounts or entities are not authorized by the commission and have no legal authority to provide recovery services,’ the SEC said.

‘On the contrary, they are being utilized as instruments to exploit already vulnerable victims,’ it said.

The SEC said that schemes employed by perpetrators commonly include offering recovery of funds previously lost to scams in exchange for advance fees or personal information.

Such groups also misrepresent affiliation with government agencies or law enforcement authorities as well as fabricate testimonials, documents or credentials to create a false appearance of legitimacy.

The SEC said those involved in these scams likewise employ high-pressure tactics to induce victims into making immediate payments or disclosing sensitive personal or financial information.

‘The commission warns the public not to transact with, remit any sum to or disclose personal information to such individuals or groups. Victims of scams are strongly urged to lodge their complaints directly with the proper authorities for appropriate action,’ it said.

At least nine Korean nationals with Red Notices issued by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) were arrested by the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO-7) in Cebu City for illegal detention and online gambling operations.

The apprehended foreign nationals, whose names were not disclosed by PRO-7, were recently charged on October 2 with a separate complaint for violation of the Presidential Decree 1602 in relation to Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

They were arrested on September 26 through warrants of arrest initially for serious illegal detention under Article 267 and slight illegal detention under Article 268 of the Revised Penal Code.

The said warrants were issued on September 23, following the report of an unidentified employee who alleged that he was illegally detained and deprived of two months’ worth of salary.

The complaint was positively verified by the Regional Special Project Unit (RSPU)-7, leading to the successful arrest of the nine suspects.

Some of the accused face no bail, while the others were meted with a fine of ?120,000 each, based on the court records.

Authorities also disclosed that five of the nine suspects were subjects of Red Notices from their home country, South Korea.

As of this writing, five suspects are currently detained at the custody of RSPU-7 while the other four are under the city’s detention facility, pending the filing of cases.

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has teamed up with the University of the Philippines (UP) to equip computer and engineering students with digital skills for the artificial intelligence (AI) era.

Converge yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with UP for the development of AI talents, as the Philippines gears up for a future dominated by automated systems.

The agreement, which runs for three years, sets up a collaboration framework between Converge and UP with the goal of putting up a dedicated space for innovation in the long term.

The partnership aims to raise the level of education in UP on cloud computing, machine learning, smart manufacturing and digital business.

The program will benefit students taking up computer engineering, computer science, electronics engineering and business administration.

Converge CEO and co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy said the company has decided to work with UP to ensure students are well prepared for the future.

Likewise, the agreement seeks to build the country’s pipeline of tech leaders and talents.

‘This collaboration represents more than skills development, as it is about creating a sustainable pipeline of Filipino technology leaders,’ Uy said.

The partnership is designed for rollout in three phases, with Converge and UP kicking it off with exploratory initiatives and expanding further into integration efforts by 2026.

The first leg of the program will launch a nine-month pilot aimed at graduating students, giving them the opportunity to specialize in AI systems, digital technology and product development.

Uy said the partnership would try to address the knowledge gap between classroom learning and industry application. Students included in the program will be given access to global benchmarks on AI, with Converge supplying educators who can share industry practices.

Later on, the agreement would evolve into an internship model where students can participate in competitions, forums, hackathons and mentoring.

If feasible, Converge also plans to establish an innovation lab in UP devoted to AI prototyping and research.

UP vice president for digital transformation Peter Sy said the tie-up with Converge could become a model of how academe-industry alliances could be shaped in the future.

The Department of Trade and Industry sees AI contributing $92 billion to the economy, making up 12 percent of the gross domestic product by 2030.

We have become a battered and traumatized people.

Notice how frantic we become when a storm threatens. Every precaution is taken. Work and school are suspended. We buckle down and expect the worst.

We are among the most disaster-prone countries in the world. But until lately, we have confronted calamity with a certain elan. We cultivated a certain confidence that we would always pull together and surmount the challenges we are fated to endure.

Some of that elan has dissipated. We have lost confidence in our public infrastructure. We fear that, because of corruption, our bridges would fall, our dams would break and our hospitals would collapse.

When a major quake struck northern Cebu a few days ago, patients were evacuated from the only hospital in Bogo City. People were reluctant to return to the facility even after engineers declared the hospital safe. They did not trust government engineers.

For days, people subsisted under plastic trash bags to keep out the rain, refusing the safety of evacuation centers. There is such distrust for edifices built under government contracts.

At the slightest rainfall, our streets flood. There is enough evidence that the ill-conceived flood control projects did not just fail to solve the problem. They aggravated the flooding. Many of these projects after all were intended simply to facilitate looting.

We have been betrayed by the political class. This fact taxes our pride in our nationhood.

Our government has failed us on every front. Our educational system was allowed to rot, leaving the next generation ill-equipped to thrive in the world ahead. Our public health system is barely there. Our agriculture is unable to feed our people. Our economy is unable to keep our people meaningfully employed.

The calamities that hit us are worsened by failure in governance. We wasted trillions in useless projects by a government that seeks to win acceptability through political patronage.

We cannot stop storms and earthquakes. But adept governance should have enabled us to mitigate their effects. Denied adept governance, robbed by those who are supposed to lead us, we have become more vulnerable as a community.

I was moved by a post circulating widely in social media. It read: How can we love our country if we cannot trust our government?

Dissembling

Indeed, how can we rebuild trust in government if the political class itself appears to be dissembling.

In the face of continuing revelations related to the public works scandals, the ruling majority’s grip on power appears to be weakening as our politicians turn against each other. Our congressmen and senators are now in open verbal warfare. The freshly installed majority in the Senate appears to be in danger of collapsing.

The dominant faction emerging after the election of Bongbong Marcos in 2022 seemed omnipotent at the beginning. But it succumbed to its own project of dynastic continuity.

The person in charge of this project, Martin Romualdez, attempted to change the Constitution early on. That attempt was so clumsily managed. It relied entirely on funding congressmen to gather signatures for Charter change. The congressmen simply pocketed the funds. The political project collapsed almost as soon as it began.

Unable to continue along the route of altering the constitutional order, the effort abruptly changed course. Again, relying on the illusory power of congressmen who simply wanted another source of funding, Romualdez and company targeted Vice President Sara Duterte. She was seen as a hindrance to dynastic continuity, vastly overshadowing Romualdez’s popularity.

The goal this time was to discredit Sara, have her impeached by a cooperative Senate and banned from holding public office.

This strategy seemed entirely doable. The congressmen of the majority coalition will sign anything in exchange for public works projects. We saw that when, on a moment’s notice, they lined up to sign the impeachment complaint last February.

But the Senate was not very cooperative. Nor was the Supreme Court, which pointed out the unconstitutionality by which the impeachment complaint was signed and delivered.

At this point, it does not seem possible to revive the discredited impeachment complaint. The transactional legislators will not likely cooperate with this sort of unpopular political project unless they are richly rewarded. The scandal over the looting of infra funds through congressional insertions guarantees there will be no funds available to win legislative support.

The project of dynastic continuity is now dead in the water. Its principal architect and intended beneficiary has been consigned to the gallery of political rogues. It is inconceivable he could ever be politically rehabilitated.

This political project had a fatal flaw. It was entirely reliant on transactional politics. Therefore, it needed a large volume of undocumented funds constantly flowing to buy political support. Such funds can only be produced through systematic looting of the budget. It required a mafia of legislators, bureaucrats and unscrupulous contractors to plunder public funds on a sustained basis.

The political project of dynastic continuity collapsed under the weight of unbridled greed. The perpetrators were not loyal to the political project. They pocketed the loot and betrayed their own principals.

The public works scandal did not just blow up in the faces of the main perpetrators. It blew up on the entire system of patronage politics that passed itself off as a democracy.

Now we need to reinvent our entire system of politics.

With 14 episodes released so far, boys’ love (BL) series “Got My Eyes on You” has ensnared viewers with its kilig moments, leaving them craving for more after each five-minute drop.

Set in the picturesque S-Cape Villa, the series is a catchy blend of swoon-worthy BL romance and a grounded and earnest look at the sacrifices Filipino breadwinners make for their families.

At its very core, “Got My Eyes on You” is a charming enemies-to-lovers tale about Drew (Mikoy Morales), the dedicated villa operations manager, and Shawn (Esteban Mara), the always-calm-and-collected guest relations officer, who are both vying for the post of S-Cape General Manager.

However, the story is not a simple clash between ambition and attraction.

Shawn, who comes from a well-off family, wants to prove his independence and capability despite a privileged background, while Drew carries the heavier burden: as a breadwinner, he supports his family and pays for his younger sibling’s education.

“May pinapatapos pa akong bunso, eh. Kung prangkahan lang din naman, kailangan ko talaga ang posisyon na yon. Kaya ayoko ‘yang lovelife-lovelife na ‘yan. Hindi ko priority ‘yan,’ Drew stresses, showing how young Filipino adults are inclined to set aside romance for responsibility.

Still, sparks fly between Drew and Shawn. Viewers have witnessed their playful bickering amid frequent teasing by villa co-workers, accountant Moira (Hannah Lee), and events coordinator Wilfred (Darwin Yu).

The undeniable chemistry shines not just in heated exchanges but in softer moments, like when they hang out with their dogs, Matcha and Miller.

Fans could not get over a scene after the office party, where Drew – drunk and vulnerable – accidentally fell asleep beside Shawn and woke up in his arms.

More than these moments of kilig, the series remains authentic. Drew’s struggle reflects a reality often underrepresented on screen – for many Filipinos, love feels like a luxury when there are mouths to feed and bills to pay.

In the forthcoming episodes, viewers find answers to the question: will Drew’s heart win over his strong sense of responsibility, or will love remain out of reach?

The Bangsamoro government has teamed up with Islamic preachers to promote medical services and dispel misconceptions and superstitions about scientifically accepted health procedures.

The Ministry of Health-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM) announced Saturday, October 4, that regional officials and Muslim scholars jointly launched on Tuesday, September 30, seven health care modules developed with the help of Islamic theologians.

The symbolic launch, led by Health Minister Kadil Sinolinding Jr., marked a collaboration between physicians, public health experts, and Muslim clerics.

‘These modules will not only foster better understanding and acceptance of health messages, but also reinforce the spiritual and moral responsibility of caring for one’s health – as a form of Ibadah (worship),’ Sinolinding said.

The modules highlight the importance of medical treatment, disease prevention, and healthy living in far-flung Bangsamoro communities, covering Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Lamitan, Marawi, and Cotabato.

Members of BARMM’s Darul Iftah (Islamic House of Opinions) said Muslims have a religious duty to help save lives – whether those in need are sick, injured, or victims of conflict – regardless of faith or background.

Sheikh Abdulrauf Guilani, a veteran Islamic missionary, said the new modules address seven key areas: diet and exercise, clean environments, immunization, mental health, responsible use of medicines, reproductive health, and injury prevention.

Guilani added that superstition-based practices contradict Islamic teachings, emphasizing that faith and science should work together in protecting lives.

Sinolinding said Muslim religious leaders will help educate communities about the contents of the Islamic-compliant health modules.

Mapua rode on the stellar performance of Clint Escamis as it turned back an upset-conscious Arellano University, 90-87, on Saturday to seize the solo lead in NCAA Season 101 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The Season 99 MVP unloaded a 29-point barrage, including a perfect four-and-four from beyond the arc, and laced it with three rebounds and the same number of assists and steals.

It was a bounce-back effort for Escamis after a forgettable eight-point performance in their 90-89 double overtime victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University in last Wednesday’s inaugurals at the Big Dome.

‘I just want to make up for that bad game,’ said Escamis, who is on his final tour of duty.

‘I know my teammates got my back, but I really want to perform for them,’ he added.

It was another come-from-behind win for the back-to-back title-seeking Cardinals, who trailed by as much as 13 points in the second quarter before turning the tables around in their favor in the second half.

‘We showed the never-say-die mentality that we’re used to and our heart of a champion that refuses to lose,’ said Escamis.

Escamis said they still have more to give.

‘We haven’t reached our full potential yet, we still have lapses offensively and defensively and improve on our decision making more,’ he said.

The scores:

Mapua 90 – Escamis 29, Cuenco 14, Gonzales 12, Nitura 10, Sapasap 9, Reyes 5, Concepcion 5, Lazarte 4, Recto 2, Gulapa 0, Igliane 0, Delos Reyes 0, Ryan 0.

AU 87 – Valencia 13, Abiera 12, Hernal 11, Ongotan 10, Libang 10, Camay 8, Cabotaje 6, Borromeo 5, Vinoya 4, Geronimo 4, Demetria 4, Acop 0, Buenaventura 0, Miller 0.

Quarterscores: 20-22; 46-51; 67-64; 90-87