MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has commended the Department of Education (DepEd), under the leadership of Secretary Sonny Angara, following the nation’s milestone performance in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The latest PISA results show the Philippines advancing out of the bottom ten participating education systems, driven by notable score increases across reading, mathematics, and science. The country recorded gains ranging between 16 to 20 points, highlighted by a 20-point surge in reading literacy—an advancement equivalent to nearly a full year of formal schooling under OECD standards. This marks the Philippines’ strongest reading performance improvement since joining the global assessment.
“These results show that focused reforms, sustained commitment, and evidence-based interventions can lead to real improvements in learning outcomes for Filipino students,” said PCCI President Perry Ferrer.
Business leaders attributed the gains to DepEd’s strategic interventions, including targeted remediation programs, curriculum updates, and the direct efforts of the PISA 2025 Task Force.
While celebrating the progress, the country’s largest business group emphasized that basic education improvements must translate into workforce readiness. PCCI called for accelerating the recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) and urged tighter alignment across the country’s trifocalized education system—connecting basic education with technical-vocational training and higher education.
“The recommendations of EDCOM II provide a clear roadmap for addressing long-standing challenges in the education sector and must be translated into concrete action,” Ferrer stated. “Our goal should be an education system that equips every Filipino learner with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.”
PCCI reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate with DepEd and key stakeholders to drive structural education reforms, referencing policy solutions outlined in its flagship paper, “Reform Our Education, Transform Our Future”.
Related stories:
PCCI Urges Curriculum Overhaul to Build a Future-Ready Philippine Workforce
DITO Telecommunity Launches ‘DITO BizBayani Awards’ to Celebrate and Empower Filipino MSMEs
Young Filipino Innovators Shine at Byte Forward Hackathon 2025 During 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo
