DepEd expands summer programs to help struggling learners catch up

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 





MAKATI CITY, 21 April 2026—From May 6 to June 3, 2026, learners at risk of falling behind will be given a critical chance to succeed, as the Department of Education (DepEd) rolls out its expanded summer remediation programs to help learners recover foundational skills and put every learner back on the path to grade-level readiness.



Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the urgency and purpose of this initiative: no learner should be left behind.



“Tungkulin nating siguruhin na ang bawat mag-aaral ay may sapat na suporta. Narito ang DepEd para alalayan ang ating mga mag-aaral na mapaghusay ang kanilang kaalaman,” Angara said.

“Sa suporta ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, tinitiyak natin na ang ating mga programa ay may sapat na kalinga at direksyon para sa ikagaganda ng kinabukasan ng ating kabataan,” he added.



At the heart of this effort is the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program, a flagship intervention that aims to sharpen the Reading and Mathematics skills of about 3.7 million incoming Grade 2 to 11 learners.



For those nearing graduation, the Senior High School Remediation program delivers support to around 2.1 million incoming Grade 12 learners, ensuring mastery of essential competencies in English, Filipino and Mathematics.



Meanwhile, the Summer Academic Remedial Program provides targeted assistance to around 141,000 learners across all grade levels who did not meet the required grade level requirements in one or two learning areas, giving them the support they need to move forward with confidence.

The results of these targeted interventions are already clear and compelling. Comparisons between the Beginning-of-School-Year (BOSY) and End-of-School-Year (EOSY) assessments reveal significant gain: literacy gaps have narrowed by an average 33 percentage points in Grades 1 to 3; 16 percentage points in Grades 4 to 6; and 28 percentage points in Grades 7 to 10.

These gains affirm a powerful truth when given the right support, struggling learners can recover, progress and thrive.

To support this massive undertaking, Angara said DepEd is mobilizing around 607,000 DepEd teachers and volunteer tutors nationwide, ensuring learners receive the personalized attention, guidance and encouragement necessary for effective learning recovery.



Beyond academics, the summer programs adopt a holistic approach which includes providing teaching and learning resources, incentives for educators, and critical health support like vision and ear care screenings along with free meals, to remove physical barriers that hinder learning.



Angara emphasized that the success of the undertaking relies on a unified front between the school and the home.



“Nananawagan tayo sa ating mga magulang at guro na magkaisa sa mahalagang adhikaing ito. Ang ating pagtutulungan ang magsisilbing matibay na pundasyon upang maging matagumpay ang balik-eskwela ng ating mga kabataan,” said Angara.

A long-time champion of education reform, Angara brings this initiative full circle. As a key proponent and co-author of Republic Act No. 12028 or the ARAL Program Act during his Senate tenure, he signed its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) in December 2024 in his capacity as DepEd Secretary, transforming policy into real and tangible support for learners.

Under his leadership, DepEd is not only expanding intervention programs; it is institutionalizing a system that ensures every struggling learner is seen, supported, and given the opportunity to succeed.

Under RA No. 12028 (Section 7), tutors under the ARAL Program may be: teachers teaching at the elementary and secondary levels, provided they shall not be tutors of their own learners; para-teachers or those who have taken the licensure examination for teachers but were unable to quality and have been issued a special permit by the Board for Professional Teachers; and pre-service teachers who are students enrolled in a teacher education degree program.



Under the law, DepEd may also hire as tutor other individuals deemed qualified, competent and of good character.



Meanwhile under the IRR (Section 12), tutorsa hired for the ARAL Program must meet minimum qualifications in professional or educational background for teachers, para-teachers, pre-service teachers and non-licensed education graduates; retired professional teachers; other licensed professionals; college graduates; and others as may be identified by DepEd.



Tutors must also demonstrate competency in the subject areas they will handle, as well as proficiency in the use of various teaching methods.

From brush stroke to fluidity of movement in two-artist exhibition “Convergence”

Wazzup Pilipinas?!



A landmark two-artist exhibition entitled “CONVERGENCE: Bridging Generations and Creativity” brings together the distinct yet complementary worlds of Aaron Virata Mempin and Ronna Manansala.

Set within the Monteverdi Room of Altro Mondo Creative Space, the show invites viewers to witness a profound creative dialogue that transcends individual mediums.

“Convergence” is a space where the stroke of a brush meets the precision of geometry, and where the echoes of Philippine art history find a new, modern pulse.

An artist-entrepreneur and geometric abstractionist, Aaron explores the intersection of calm and motion. His practice is rooted in a background of marketing and community-building through Katha Pilipinas, resulting in a visual language of line and structure that bridges classical discipline with contemporary energy.

Meanwhile, Ronna, carrying the storied legacy of her grandfather, National Artist Vicente Manansala, reinterprets her heritage through a deeply emotive and personal lens. Her work captures the quiet strength, grace, and fluid movement of her subjects, breathing new life into traditional themes.

At its heart, their collaboration is about the fluid boundaries of inspiration. Through both individual pieces and rare shared collaborations, Aaron and Ronna explore the meeting point of heritage and innovation.

This exchange of perspectives reflects a shared commitment to patience, precision, and purpose, proving that creativity is a continuous thread connecting the past to the present.

Visit the exhibit until April 25 at the Monteverdi Room, Altro Mondo Creative Space, 1159 Chino Roces Avenue, San Antonio Village, Makati City, from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Earth Day 2026: Green Groups Clamor for Accountability over Toxic Landfill Fire, Demand Sustainable Solutions to Prevent and Reduce Waste

 Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

April 22, 2026. Quezon City. On Earth Day, member groups of the EcoWaste Coalition pushed for accountability over the Navotas landfill fire, which continues to emit hazardous smoke, posing serious health risks to families and communities.  The groups reiterated the urgency to address the waste crisis at source by prioritizing policies, programs, and projects that prevent and reduce the production of trash, and not through costly end-of-pipe landfills or waste-to-energy incinerators.

A post-incident analysis by the ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI) and Breathe Metro Manila shows that by April 18, fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) levels in several cities hit new highs following the landfill fire on April 10. In parts of Northern Metro Manila, air quality has plummeted to "very unhealthy" levels, even worse than when the fire was at its peak.

Community-based Pagkakaisa ng mga Mamamayan sa Barangay Dampalit (PMBD) and the Samahan ng Mamamayan Zone One Tondo, Inc. (SM ZOTO), based in Malabon and Navotas Cities, expressed grave concern over the effects of the lingering smoke on people’s health and safety. “Hindi na simpleng masamang amoy ang nalalanghap; nahihirapan nang makahinga nang maayos ang mga tao,” said Manny Toribio of SM ZOTO. “Sana hindi na maulit ang ganitong sakuna at wala nang landfill na ilalagay malapit sa komunidad,” said Ann Lofranco of PMBD.

Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) drew attention to the apparent lapses in the Navotas landfill closure management, underscoring the urgent need for strict enforcement of Republic Act No. 9003 (the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) and Republic Act No. 8749 (the Clean Air Act), as well as immediate accountability for the responsible parties.

“More importantly, this is a clear wake-up call to move beyond landfill dependence and fast-track the shift to and investment in zero waste systems,” the MEF emphasized.  “This transition requires an urgent commitment that prioritizes waste prevention at the source and enforces strict segregation across all sectors,” adding, “we must institutionalize decentralized collection through the integration of trained waste workers and Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), while fully operationalizing efficient organics management and recycling as the essential foundations of a sustainable, climate-resilient waste strategy.”

In a statement, Greenpeace Philippines said: “These recurring incidents persist because the Philippines continues to rely on weakly enforced and inadequate waste policies that focus on disposal over prevention. Existing laws, like the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, recognize waste reduction and segregation, yet implementation remains poor. Moreover, critical gaps in policies like the Extended Producer Responsibility Act continue to allow corporate overproduction and dependence on single-use products and packaging, which are the main contributors to plastic pollution that is driving the increase in waste volumes.”

 

“The Philippine government must act on the waste crisis with urgency. Every delay in reducing waste at source and curbing plastic production deepens the health, economic, and environmental toll on Filipinos. The government must implement strong reduction measures, enforce strict segregation at source, and support a just transition to zero-waste systems like reuse, which can significantly reduce waste volumes,” Greenpeace Philippines pointed out.

Echoing the calls of its members, the EcoWaste Coalition urged the authorities to identify and hold accountable all parties behind the toxic landfill fire disaster, reaffirming the urgency of moving away from unsustainable, end-of-pipe, quick-fix false solutions to the waste crisis to protect human health and the environment. 

In place of mega landfills and waste-to-energy incinerators, the group demanded priority use of resources to support and strengthen sustainable and people-centered solutions to effectively reduce waste volume and toxicity, and promote environmental justice.

“The main cause of the fire is the presence of methane gas produced by methane-producing bacteria when organic waste is stored under anaerobic conditions. Any small spark or extreme heat can ignite methane gas, which is highly combustible. There is still a great volume of methane being produced in that condition because of the organic waste that has been dumped in the landfill,” explained the MEF. “Vents should be installed in the landfill and flared after the fire has been completely put out by putting inert materials, like soil, over the surface.”