news article about philippine education system

• Philippines

The Philippines Still Hasn’t Fully Reopened Its Schools Because of COVID-19. What Is This Doing to Children?

I f 17-year-old Ruzel Delaroso needs to ask her teacher a question, she can’t simply raise her hand, much less fire off an email from the kitchen table. She has to leave the modest shack that her family calls home in Januiay, a farming town in the central Philippines, and head to an area of dense shrubbery, a 10-minute walk away. There, if she’s lucky, she can pick up a phone signal and finally ask about the math problem in the self-learning materials her mother picked up from school.

“We’re so used to our teachers always being around,” Delaroso tells TIME via the same temperamental phone connection. “But now it’s harder to communicate with them.”

Her school, Calmay National High School, is among the tens of thousands of Philippine public schools shuttered since March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Delaroso is one of 1.6 billion children affected by worldwide school closures, according to a UNESCO estimate.

But while other countries have taken the opportunity to resume in-person classes, the Philippines has lagged behind. After 20 months of pandemic prevention measures, amounting to one of the world’s longest lockdowns , only 5,000 students, in just over 100 public schools, have been allowed to go back to class in a two-month trial program—a tiny fraction of the 27 million public school students who enrolled this year. The Philippines must be one of a very few countries, if not the only country, to remain so reliant on distance learning. It has become a vast experiment in life without in-person schooling.

Read More: What It’s Like Being a Teacher During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“[Education secretary Leonor Briones] always reminds us that in the past when there were military sieges, or volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, typhoons, floods, learning continued,” says education undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio.

But has it this time? Educators fear that prolonged closure is having negative effects on students’ ability to learn, impacting their futures just a time when the country needs a young, well-educated workforce to resume the impressive economic growth it was enjoying before the pandemic hit.

Globally, COVID-19 will be impacting the mental health of children and young adolescents for years to come, UNICEF warns. School shutdowns have already been blamed for a rise in dropout rates and decreased literacy, and the World Bank estimates that the number of children aged 10 and below, from low- and middle-income countries, who cannot read simple text has risen from 53% prior to the pandemic to 70% today.

If the pilot resumption of classes passes without incident, there are hopes for a wider reopening of Philippine schools. But without it, there are fears of a lost generation .

How COVID-19 impacted Philippine education

From March 2020 to September 2021, UNICEF tallied 131 million pre-tertiary students from 11 countries who had been trying to learn at home for at least three quarters of the time that they would normally have been in school. Of that number, 66 million came from just two countries where face-to-face classes were almost completely nixed: Bangladesh and the Philippines. (Bangladesh reopened its schools in September.)

Amid the initial COVID-19 surge of March 2020—just weeks shy of the end of the academic year—the Philippines stopped in-person classes for its entire cohort of public education students, which then numbered some 24.9 million according to UNESCO. The start of the new school year in September also got pushed back, as President Rodrigo Duterte imposed a “no vaccine, no classes” policy.

When schooling finally resumed in October 2020, the education department’s solution was a blend of remote-learning options: online platforms, educational TV and radio, and printed modules. But social inequalities and the lack of resources at home to support these approaches have dealt a huge blow to many students and teachers.

A departmental report released in March 2021 found that 99% of public school students got passing marks for the first academic quarter of last year. But other surveys claim that students are being disadvantaged. Over 86% of the 1,299 students polled by the Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality and Relevant Education said they learned less through the education department’s take-home modules—so did 66% of those using online learning and 74% using a blend of online learning and hard-copy material.

Read More: Angelina Jolie on Why We Can Let COVID-19 Derail Education

Even though she’s an academic topnotcher—getting a weighted grade average of 91 out of 100 last year—Delaroso also feels that remote learning is inferior.

At Delaroso’s high school, teacher Johnnalie Consumo, 25, has detected a lack of eagerness to study, with some parents even filling in worksheets on their child’s behalf—going by the evidence of the handwriting.

“They have a hard time forcing the kid to answer modules because the kid isn’t intimidated by their parents,” she tells TIME. “The way a teacher encourages is very different from how a parent would.”

Consumo sometimes visits the homes of under-performing students and finds that they are out doing farm work—harvesting sugar cane, say, or making charcoal—to augment a family income that has been slashed by a suffering economy and a rising unemployment rate . Exercise books have been turned in blank, she says. Or students appear to pass their modules, only for her to find that they copied the answers. The frustration is enormous.

“It’s hard on our part,” Consumo tells TIME, “because we really try our best.”

Poverty and education in the Philippines

Internet access is a huge challenge. In urban areas, instructors can give lessons over video conferencing platforms, or Facebook Live, but 52.6% of the Philippines’ 110 million people live in rural areas with unreliable connectivity. It doesn’t come cheap either: research from cybersecurity firm SurfShark found that the internet in the Philippines is among the least stable and slowest, yet the most expensive, of 79 countries surveyed.

Internet access assumes, of course, that the user has a device, but in the Philippines that’s not a given. Private polling firm Social Weather Stations found that just over 40% of students did not have any device to help them in distance learning. Of the rest, some 27% were using a device they already owned, and 10% were able to borrow one, but 12% had to buy one, with families spending an average of $172 per learner. To put it into perspective, that’s more than half the average monthly salary in the Philippines.

“Some of them don’t have cell phones,” says Marilyn Tomelden, a teacher in Quezon province, three hours away from the Philippine capital Manila, who first noticed the digital divide when many of her sixth graders were unable to comply with what she thought of as a fun homework assignment: submitting videos of themselves performing dance moves she had demonstrated in an earlier video.

“Because we’re in public school, we cannot demand that they buy phones,” Tomelden says. “They don’t have money to buy their own food, and they’re going to buy their own cell phone for learning? Which is more important to live—to eat or to study?”

Instructors need to be equipped with the right resources too. A study from the National Research Council of the Philippines found that many teachers have had to shell out their own money to support their students in remote learning.

Read More: The Long History of Vaccinating Kids in School

Government agencies do what they can to help. Earlier this year, the customs bureau donated phones and other gadgets it had confiscated to the education department for distribution to needy students. But it’s a drop in the ocean.

“It’s something that is beyond [our] capacity to address—the inequality in terms of availability of resources of learners, depending on the socioeconomic status of families,” says education undersecretary San Antonio.

Some students are so exhausted by the struggle to study remotely that they are calling for long breaks between modules. Many parents and pressure groups are going even further, demanding total academic suspension until a clearer post-pandemic education system is ironed out.

Congresswoman France Castro is a member of ACT Teachers Partylist, a political party representing the education sector. She says a complete freeze would cause more problems than it solves.

“Education is a right,” she tells TIME. “Whatever form it will be, whether blended learning or modular, it’s better to continue it than to stop.”

But in the meantime, with their workloads multiplied, it is students and teachers paying the price. Consumo, the teacher from Januiay, regularly stays up late completing the reams of new paperwork generated by the distance learning system.

“You won’t be able to sleep anymore, just thinking about the deadlines and the work that still needs to be done,” she says. “I cry over that.”

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
• The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
• Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
• The Long, Strange History of Secret Royal Ailments
• The UAE Is on a Mission to Become an AI Power
• Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
• The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Contact us at [email protected]

You May Also Like

• High contrast
• OUR REPRESENTATIVE
• WORK FOR UNICEF
• NATIONAL AMBASSADORS
• PRESS CENTRE

Search UNICEF

Filipino children continue missing education opportunities in another year of school closure, together with four other countries, the philippines has kept its schools closed nationwide since the covid-19 pandemic.

MANILA,25 August 2021-- A child's first day of school—a landmark moment for the youngest students and their parents around the world—has been delayed due to COVID-19 for an estimated 140 million young minds, UNICEF said in a new analysis released as summer break comes to end in many parts of the world.

The Philippines is one of the five countries in the world that have not started in-person classes since the pandemic began, affecting the right to learn of more than 27 million Filipino students. While new variants are causing a rise of infections, UNICEF is advocating for a phased reopening of schools, beginning in low-risk areas. This can be done on a voluntary basis with proper safety protocols in place.

"The first day of school is a landmark moment in a child's life—setting them off on a life-changing path of personal learning and growth. Most of us can remember countless minor details—what clothes we wore, our teacher's name, who we sat next to. But for millions of children, that important day has been indefinitely postponed," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. "As classes resume in many parts of the world, millions of first graders have been waiting to see the inside of a classroom for over a year. Millions more may not see one at all this school term. For the most vulnerable, their risk of never stepping into a classroom in their lifetime is skyrocketing."

For an estimated eight million students around the globe—who should have been in the first grade— the wait for their first day of in-person learning has been over a year and counting, as they live in places where schools have been closed throughout the pandemic.

The first grade sets up the building blocks for all future learning, with introductions to reading, writing, and math. It's also a period when in-person learning helps children gain independence, adapt to new routines, and develop meaningful relationships with teachers and students. In-person learning also enables teachers to identify and address learning delays, mental health issues, and abuse that could negatively affect children’s well-being.

“In 2020, schools globally were fully closed for an average of 79 teaching days, while the Philippines has been closed for more than a year, forcing students to enroll in distance learning modalities.  The associated consequences of school closures – learning loss, mental distress, missed vaccinations, and heightened risk of drop out, child labour, and child marriage – will be felt by many children, especially the youngest learners in critical development stages,” UNICEF Philippines Representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov says.

While countries worldwide are taking some actions to provide remote learning, at least 29 per cent of primary students are not being reached. In addition to lack of assets for remote learning, the youngest children may not be able to participate due to a lack of support using the technology, a poor learning environment, pressure to do household chores, or being forced to work.

Studies have shown that positive school experiences during this transition period are a predictor of children’s future social, emotional and educational outcomes. At the same time, children who fall behind in learning during the early years often stay behind for the remaining time they spend in school, and the gap widens over the years. The number of years of education a child receives also directly affects their future earnings.

Unless mitigation measures are implemented, the World Bank estimates a loss of $10 trillion in earnings over time for this entire generation of students. Existing evidence shows the cost of addressing learning gaps are lower and more effective when they are tackled earlier, and that investments in education support economic recovery, growth and prosperity.

UNICEF urges governments to reopen schools for in-person learning as soon as possible, and to provide a comprehensive recovery response for students. Together with the World Bank and UNESCO, UNICEF is calling for governments to focus on three key priorities for recovery in schools:

• Targeted programmes to bring all children and youth back in school where they can access tailored services to meet their learning, health, psychosocial well-being, and other needs;
• Effective remedial learning to help students catch up on lost learning;
• Support for teachers to address learning losses and incorporate digital technology into their teaching.

"Your first day of school is a day of hope and possibility—a day for getting off to a good start. But not all children are getting off to a good start. Some children are not even starting at all," said Fore." We must reopen schools for in-person learning as soon as possible, and we must immediately address the gaps in learning this pandemic has already created. Unless we do, some children may never catch up."

In the following weeks, UNICEF will continue to mobilize its partners and the public to prevent this education crisis from becoming an education catastrophe. Online and offline campaigns will rally world leaders, teachers, and parents around a common cause: reopen schools for in-person learning as soon as possible. The future of the world’s most vulnerable children is at stake.

Media contacts

About unicef.

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

For more information about UNICEF and its work for children in the Philippines, visit www.unicef.ph .

Follow UNICEF Philippines on Facebook ,  Twitter and Instagram .

Related topics

More to explore, how daycare workers strengthen the philippines’ human capita.

UNICEF and partners empower child development workers through skills training

Fathers, we play a critical role in our child's first years of learning

Investing in day care workers is an investment in the future -UNICEF

Mga Maling Akala Tungkol sa Pag-aaral sa Pre-schools

Ilang paliwanag sa kahalagahan ng maagang pagkatuto ng mga bata

• Subscribe Now

Rappler Talk: The issues with PH education system and way forward

Already have Rappler+? Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism.

MANILA, Philippines – The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) result begs the question: Why do Filipino students continue to lag behind other countries in global education assessments?

Is the Philippine government doing enough to address the learning crisis? What can the public do?

On Wednesday, March 13, Rappler’s Bonz Magsambol sits down with Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II )executive director Karol Yee to talk about the issues confronting the Philippine education system and the way forward.

Tune in to this page at 4 pm or head over to Rappler’s social media accounts to watch the discussion live. – Rappler.com

How does this make you feel?

Related Topics

Recommended stories, {{ item.sitename }}, {{ item.title }}.

Checking your Rappler+ subscription...

Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access.

Why is it important to subscribe? Learn more

You are subscribed to Rappler+

• Geopolitics
• Environment

Philippines needs to improve its education system

The research arm of Switzerland-based business school, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) recently released the results of its survey on the talent competitiveness of 63 countries from around the world. Based on the rankings, the Philippines managed to jump up to 49th place from 55th last year. 

Regardless of the jump, the ASEAN country, unfortunately, still performed the worst when compared to other bloc members. In order to understand how this happened, it’s important to look at what the study uses for its indicators.

The World Talent Ranking looks at three main factors when determining how to rank a country. The investment and development factor, which measures resources used to cultivate homegrown human capital;  the appeal factor, which evaluates the extent to which a country attracts and retains foreign and local talent; and the readiness factor, which looks at the quality of skills and competencies of a country’s labour force.

While a simple example of the investment and development factor would be whether a country is able to provide education to its citizens, the readiness factor seems to indicate that it is also important to look at the quality of the education provided. This, according to the study, is where countries like the Philippines fall short.

Quality of education

For the three factors, the Philippines scored 31st for appeal, 61st for investment and development, and 26th for readiness. Similarly, last year, the Philippines scored lowest for investment and development.

In 2018, the IMD World Competitiveness Center’s director, Arturo Bris told the media that the Philippines’ labour force is not as equipped with skills that firms are looking for.

He acknowledged that it was true that the Philippines was making progress in managing its talent pool and is, in fact, one of only two countries in Southeast Asia along with Malaysia which has improved government investment in education as a percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

“However, in 2018, The Philippines witnessed a deterioration of its ability to provide the economy with the skills needed, which points to a mismatch between school curriculums and the demands of companies,” he said.

But it isn’t just a Swiss business school that thinks the Philippines needs to improve its quality of education. In June last year, local media reported the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) as saying that while the state of education nationwide has progressed in terms of accessibility, it still has a long way to go when it comes to delivery of quality learning for the success of every learner.

PBEd executive director, Love Basillote said this can be attributed to many factors such as prevalence of malnutrition and a shortage of appropriate learning tools, adding that many college graduates are not work-ready due to a lack of socio-emotional skills.

“Our recommendation is we focus on learning by starting early, monitoring learning, raising accountability and aligning actors,” she said, also suggesting that the country participate consistently in international learning assessments to make Filipino learners and graduates globally competitive.

The World Talent Ranking 2018 cited the country’s top weaknesses in the areas of total public expenditure on education, pupil-teacher ratio in primary and secondary schools, and remuneration in service professions and labour force growth.

Upgrading digital skills

The World Economic Forum (WEF) head of Asia Pacific and Member of the Executive Committee, Justin Wood noted that Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, was unfolding at accelerating speed and changing the skills that workers will need for the jobs of the future.

On 19 November  last year, a coalition of major technology companies pledged to develop digital skills for the ASEAN workforce. Being part of the WEF’s Digital ASEAN initiative, the pledge aims to train some 20 million people in Southeast Asia by 2020, especially those working in small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).

The move is most welcomed especially due to the threat of huge job displacement across the region. Now, following results from the World Talent Ranking, it seems that this initiative would be much needed in the Philippines as well.

However, the Philippines must understand that the pledge will only go so far in ensuring that it has the right workforce for the new skills demands of companies. Improving the quality of education in the country is still critical and as 2019’s results highlight, the Philippines needs to continue working on this.

This article was first published on 5 December, 2019. 

Related articles:

Critical thinking needed to upgrade skills

Time to invest in human capital

Tangshan And Xuzhou: China's Treatment Of Women

Myanmar's suu kyi: prisoner of generals, philippines ends china talks for scs exploration, ukraine war an ‘alarm for humanity’: china’s xi, china to tout its governance model at brics summit, wrist-worn trackers detect covid before symptoms.

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .

An education system in crisis: What is the way forward under a Marcos presidency?

The 1987 Philippine Constitution upholds the right of every Filipino child to free education. However, high dropout rates and poor performance in national and international achievement tests continue to hound the country’s education system.

Since colonial days, the same fundamental issues are afflicting Philippine education. These include high dropout rates, low pupil performance, poor teacher quality in a system where teachers are central to the education process, irrelevant learning materials, excessive centralization, and inadequate financial resources.

Through the decades, educational surveys and assessments have identified the same problems. In recent years, the work of reforming the problematic educational system has been guided and assisted by several large-scale reform programs and projects. A few of them were state-of-the-art interventions that were effective, at least in a pilot or experimental setting. But, unfortunately, they have not been successful on the whole for various reasons.

Extant literature as well as the analysis of education statistics divulges the continuance of these issues and concerns, which prompted leading educationists to facetiously say that the education landscape had not changed since colonial days.

At this time, about 72 percent of 15-year-old Filipinos are low achievers in the subjects of reading, math, and science. They ranked last in reading comprehension out of 79 countries. They also ranked 78th in science and math (Pisa, 2018). This implies that many Filipinos cannot read or do simple math.

Likewise, the assessment by the World Bank (2018-2019) indicates that 80 percent of Filipino students fall below the minimum proficiency levels. The World Bank discloses that the Philippines is ranked 103 among 173 countries in the Human Capital Index. The average length of schooling is 12.9 years, but what Filipino learners know is only equivalent to 7.5 years of schooling.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of “learning was already low,” where 70 percent of 10-year-olds could not read. Citing World Bank estimates, this figure is “now at 90 percent” amid the pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the situation. From the latest data released by the Department of Education in July 2020, only 23 million have enrolled in both public and private schools, a significant reduction from the 27.7 million enrollees in 2019. As a result, close to 4 million students were not able to enroll for SY 2020-2021. The 2.75 million of the 4 million who did not enroll were private school students. The 1.1 million students were from public schools.

With this, the number of out-of-school youth continues to grow, making it a serious issue needing to be checked to avoid worse problems in the long run. Furthermore, 865 out of 14,435 private educational institutions (2019 data) suspended operations for SY 2020-2021, displacing around 4,400 teachers and affecting at least 56,000 students.

When 90 percent of our 10-year-old children cannot read, EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES IS SERIOUS CRISIS. This affects not just the young generation’s future but also the nation’s economic growth prospects. Can you imagine what kind of manpower we will have in 10 years when these children will be manning our service sector, our industrial sector, etc.?

Is there a way forward from a deep-rooted and complex education crisis caused by the government’s “mismanagement” that is made even worse by the coronavirus pandemic? One thing is alarming in the education sector when online learning becomes a permanent part of education. Zoom lectures are destroying the university experience.

Given the challenges presented above, is there a ray of hope with Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as the country’s president?

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

Eden S. Anni, [email protected]

For more news about the novel coronavirus click here. What you need to know about Coronavirus. For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link .

Fearless views on the news

Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER

© copyright 1997-2024 inquirer.net | all rights reserved.

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please click this link.

• Areas Of Work Workforce Development Teaching and Learning
• Organization
• YouthWorksPH
• Work With Us

State of Philippine Education Report 2023

Latest Blogs

Are We Properly Preparing Our Future Teachers?

Elevating student learning through transformative grading

Who Are the Youth NEET in the Philippines Today?

Determining the Career Optimism of Generation Z, A Policy Paper of the FEU Public Policy Center

What Schools Should Know About Student Assessments

A year into distance learning, students still struggle with keeping up

Thriving in Southeast Asia's New Education Landscape

Profile of Training and Skilling Programs in the Philippines

Turning Pain and Fear into Purpose

DepEd: Philippine education system 5 to 6 years behind

Today on Rappler – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world: PISA result indicates PH education system is 5 to 6 years behind – DepEd The Department of Education says the Philippines’ poor showing in the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment or PISA indicates a five- to six-year lag in learning competencies in the country. What you need to know about walking pneumonia Health officials encourage the public to wear f…

Coverage Details

Bias distribution.

• 100 % of the sources lean Left

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

Similar News Topics

The Philippines economy in 2024: Stronger for longer?

The Philippines ended 2023 on a high note, being the fastest growing economy across Southeast Asia with a growth rate of 5.6 percent—just shy of the government's target of 6.0 to 7.0 percent. 1 “National accounts,” Philippine Statistics Authority, January 31, 2024; "Philippine economic updates,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, November 16, 2023. Should projections hold, the Philippines is expected to, once again, show significant growth in 2024, demonstrating its resilience despite various global economic pressures (Exhibit 1). 2 “Economic forecast 2024,” International Monetary Fund, November 1, 2023; McKinsey analysis.

The growth in the Philippine economy in 2023 was driven by a resumption in commercial activities, public infrastructure spending, and growth in digital financial services. Most sectors grew, with transportation and storage (13 percent), construction (9 percent), and financial services (9 percent), performing the best (Exhibit 2). 3 “National accounts,” Philippine Statistics Authority, January 31, 2024. While the country's trade deficit narrowed in 2023, it remains elevated at $52 billion due to slowing global demand and geopolitical uncertainties. 4 “Highlights of the Philippine export and import statistics,” Philippine Statistics Authority, January 28, 2024. Looking ahead to 2024, the current economic forecast for the Philippines projects a GDP growth of between 5 and 6 percent.

Inflation rates are expected to temper between 3.2 and 3.6 percent in 2024 after ending 2023 at 6.0 percent, above the 2.0 to 4.0 percent target range set by the government. 5 “Nomura downgrades Philippine 2024 growth forecast,” Nomura, September 11, 2023; “IMF raises Philippine growth rate forecast,” International Monetary Fund, July 16, 2023.

For the purposes of this article, most of the statistics used for our analysis have come from a common thread of sources. These include the Central Bank of the Philippines (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas); the Department of Energy Philippines; the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP); and the Philippines Statistics Authority.

The state of the Philippine economy across seven major sectors and themes

In the article, we explore the 2024 outlook for seven key sectors and themes, what may affect each of them in the coming year, and what could potentially unlock continued growth.

Financial services

The recovery of the financial services sector appears on track as year-on-year growth rates stabilize. 6 Philippines Statistics Authority, November 2023; McKinsey in partnership with Oxford Economics, November 2023. In 2024, this sector will likely continue to grow, though at a slower pace of about 5 percent.

Financial inclusion and digitalization are contributing to growth in this sector in 2024, even if new challenges emerge. Various factors are expected to impact this sector:

• Inclusive finance: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas continues to invest in financial inclusion initiatives. For example, basic deposit accounts (BDAs) reached $22 million in 2023 and banking penetration improved, with the proportion of adults with formal bank accounts increasing from 29 percent in 2019 to 56 percent in 2021. 7 “Financial inclusion dashboard: First quarter 2023,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, February 6, 2024.
• Digital adoption: Digital channels are expected to continue to grow, with data showing that 60 percent of adults who have a mobile phone and internet access have done a digital financial transaction. 8 “Financial inclusion dashboard: First quarter 2023,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, February 6, 2024. Businesses in this sector, however, will need to remain vigilant in navigating cybersecurity and fraud risks.
• Unsecured lending growth: Growth in unsecured lending is expected to continue, but at a slower pace than the past two to three years. For example, unsecured retail lending for the banking system alone grew by 27 percent annually from 2020 to 2022. 9 “Loan accounts: As of first quarter 2023,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, February 6, 2024; "Global banking pools,” McKinsey, November 2023. Businesses in this field are, however, expected to recalibrate their risk profiling models as segments with high nonperforming loans emerge.
• High interest rates: Key interest rates are expected to decline in the second half of 2024, creating more accommodating borrowing conditions that could boost wholesale and corporate loans.

Supportive frameworks have a pivotal role to play in unlocking growth in this sector to meet the ever-increasing demand from the financially underserved. For example, financial literacy programs and easier-to-access accounts—such as BDAs—are some measures that can help widen market access to financial services. Continued efforts are being made to build an open finance framework that could serve the needs of the unbanked population, as well as a unified credit scoring mechanism to increase the ability of historically under-financed segments, such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to access formal credit. 10 “BSP launches credit scoring model,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, April 26, 2023.

Energy and Power

The outlook for the energy sector seems positive, with the potential to grow by 7 percent in 2024 as the country focuses on renewable energy generation. 11 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts. Currently, stakeholders are focused on increasing energy security, particularly on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet power plants’ requirements as production in one of the country’s main sources of natural gas, the Malampaya gas field, declines. 12 Myrna M. Velasco, “Malampaya gas field prod’n declines steeply in 2021,” Manila Bulletin , July 9, 2022. High global inflation and the fact that the Philippines is a net fuel importer are impacting electricity prices and the build-out of planned renewable energy projects. Recent regulatory moves to remove foreign ownership limits on exploration, development, and utilization of renewable energy resources could possibly accelerate growth in the country’s energy and power sector. 13 “RA 11659,” Department of Energy Philippines, June 8, 2023.

Gas, renewables, and transmission are potential growth drivers for the sector. Upgrading power grids so that they become more flexible and better able to cope with the intermittent electricity supply that comes with renewables will be critical as the sector pivots toward renewable energy. A recent coal moratorium may position natural gas as a transition fuel—this could stimulate exploration and production investments for new, indigenous natural gas fields, gas pipeline infrastructure, and LNG import terminal projects. 14 Philippine energy plan 2020–2040, Department of Energy Philippines, June 10, 2022; Power development plan 2020–2040 , Department of Energy Philippines, 2021. The increasing momentum of green energy auctions could facilitate the development of renewables at scale, as the country targets 35 percent share of renewables by 2030. 15 Power development plan 2020–2040 , 2022.

Growth in the healthcare industry may slow to 2.8 percent in 2024, while pharmaceuticals manufacturing is expected to rebound with 5.2 percent growth in 2024. 16 McKinsey analysis in partnership with Oxford Economics.

Healthcare demand could grow, although the quality of care may be strained as the health worker shortage is projected to increase over the next five years. 17 McKinsey analysis. The supply-and-demand gap in nursing alone is forecast to reach a shortage of approximately 90,000 nurses by 2028. 18 McKinsey analysis. Another compounding factor straining healthcare is the higher than anticipated benefit utilization and rising healthcare costs, which, while helping to meet people's healthcare budgets, may continue to drive down profitability for health insurers.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are feeling varying effects of people becoming increasingly health conscious. Consumers are using more over the counter (OTC) medication and placing more beneficial value on organic health products, such as vitamins and supplements made from natural ingredients, which could impact demand for prescription drugs. 19 “Consumer health in the Philippines 2023,” Euromonitor, October 2023.

Businesses operating in this field may end up benefiting from universal healthcare policies. If initiatives are implemented that integrate healthcare systems, rationalize copayments, attract and retain talent, and incentivize investments, they could potentially help to strengthen healthcare provision and quality.

Businesses may also need to navigate an increasingly complex landscape of diverse health needs, digitization, and price controls. Digital and data transformations are being seen to facilitate improvements in healthcare delivery and access, with leading digital health apps getting more than one million downloads. 20 Google Play Store, September 27, 2023. Digitization may create an opportunity to develop healthcare ecosystems that unify touchpoints along the patient journey and provide offline-to-online care, as well as potentially realizing cost efficiencies.

Consumer and retail

Growth in the retail and wholesale trade and consumer goods sectors is projected to remain stable in 2024, at 4 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

Inflation, however, continues to put consumers under pressure. While inflation rates may fall—predicted to reach 4 percent in 2024—commodity prices may still remain elevated in the near term, a top concern for Filipinos. 21 “IMF raises Philippine growth forecast,” July 26, 2023; “Nomura downgrades Philippines 2024 growth forecast,” September 11, 2023. In response to challenging economic conditions, 92 percent of consumers have changed their shopping behaviors, and approximately 50 percent indicate that they are switching brands or retail providers in seek of promotions and better prices. 22 “Philippines consumer pulse survey, 2023,” McKinsey, November 2023.

Online shopping has become entrenched in Filipino consumers, as they find that they get access to a wider range of products, can compare prices more easily, and can shop with more convenience. For example, a McKinsey Philippines consumer sentiment survey in 2023 found that 80 percent of respondents, on average, use online and omnichannel to purchase footwear, toys, baby supplies, apparel, and accessories. To capture the opportunity that this shift in Filipino consumer preferences brings and to unlock growth in this sector, retail organizations could turn to omnichannel strategies to seamlessly integrate online and offline channels. Businesses may need to explore investments that increase resilience across the supply chain, alongside researching and developing new products that serve emerging consumer preferences, such as that for natural ingredients and sustainable sources.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is a key contributor to the Philippine economy, contributing approximately 19 percent of GDP in 2022, employing about 7 percent of the country’s labor force, and growing in line with GDP at approximately 6 percent between 2023 and 2024. 23 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts.

Some changes could be seen in 2024 that might affect the sector moving forward. The focus toward building resilient supply chains and increasing self-sufficiency is growing. The Philippines also is likely to benefit from increasing regional trade, as well as the emerging trend of nearshoring or onshoring as countries seek to make their supply chains more resilient. With semiconductors driving approximately 45 percent of Philippine exports, the transfer of knowledge and technology, as well as the development of STEM capabilities, could help attract investments into the sector and increase the relevance of the country as a manufacturing hub. 24 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts.

To secure growth, public and private sector support could bolster investments in R&D and upskill the labor force. In addition, strategies to attract investment may be integral to the further development of supply chain infrastructure and manufacturing bases. Government programs to enable digital transformation and R&D, along with a strategic approach to upskilling the labor force, could help boost industry innovation in line with Industry 4.0 demand. 25 Industry 4.0 is also referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Priority products to which manufacturing industries could pivot include more complex, higher value chain electronic components in the semiconductor segment; generic OTC drugs and nature-based pharmaceuticals in the pharmaceutical sector; and, for green industries, products such as EVs, batteries, solar panels, and biomass production.

Information technology business process outsourcing

The information technology business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) sector is on track to reach its long-term targets, with $38 billion in forecast revenues in 2024. 26 Khriscielle Yalao, “WHF flexibility key to achieving growth targets—IBPAP,” Manila Bulletin , January 23, 2024. Emerging innovations in service delivery and work models are being observed, which could drive further growth in the sector.

The industry continues to outperform headcount and revenue targets, shaping its position as a country leader for employment and services. 27 McKinsey analysis based in input from industry experts. Demand from global companies for offshoring is expected to increase, due to cost containment strategies and preference for Philippine IT-BPO providers. New work setups continue to emerge, ranging from remote-first to office-first, which could translate to potential net benefits. These include a 10 to 30 percent increase in employee retention; a three- to four-hour reduction in commute times; an increase in enabled talent of 350,000; and a potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 1.4 to 1.5 million tons of CO 2 per year. 28 McKinsey analysis based in input from industry experts. It is becoming increasingly more important that the IT-BPO sector adapts to new technologies as businesses begin to harness automation and generative AI (gen AI) to unlock productivity.

Talent and technology are clear areas where growth in this sector can be unlocked. The growing complexity of offshoring requirements necessitates building a proper talent hub to help bridge employee gaps and better match local talent to employers’ needs. Businesses in the industry could explore developing facilities and digital infrastructure to enable industry expansion outside the metros, especially in future “digital cities” nationwide. Introducing new service areas could capture latent demand from existing clients with evolving needs as well as unserved clients. BPO centers could explore the potential of offering higher-value services by cultivating technology-focused capabilities, such as using gen AI to unlock revenue, deliver sales excellence, and reduce general administrative costs.

Sustainability

The Philippines is considered to be the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change in the world as, due to its geographic location, the country has a higher risk of exposure to natural disasters, such as rising sea levels. 29 “The Philippines has been ranked the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change,” Global Climate Risk Index, January 2021. Approximately $3.2 billion, on average, in economic loss could occur annually because of natural disasters over the next five decades, translating to up to 7 to 8 percent of the country’s nominal GDP. 30 “The Philippines has been ranked the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change,” Global Climate Risk Index, January 2021.

The Philippines could capitalize on five green growth opportunities to operate in global value chains and catalyze growth for the nation:

• Renewable energy: The country could aim to generate 50 percent of its energy from renewables by 2040, building on its high renewable energy potential and the declining cost of producing renewable energy.
• Solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing: More than a twofold increase in annual output from 2023 to 2030 could be achieved, enabled by lower production costs.
• Battery production: The Philippines could aim for a $1.5 billion domestic market by 2030, capitalizing on its vast nickel reserves (the second largest globally). 31 “MineSpans,” McKinsey, November 2023.
• Electric mobility: Electric vehicles could account for 15 percent of the country’s vehicle sales by 2030 (from less than 1 percent currently), driven by incentives, local distribution, and charging infrastructure. 32 McKinsey analysis based on input from industry experts.
• Nature-based solutions: The country’s largely untapped total abatement potential could reach up to 200 to 300 metric tons of CO 2 , enabled by its biodiversity and strong demand.

The Philippine economy: Three scenarios for growth

Having grown faster than other economies in Southeast Asia in 2023 to end the year with 5.6 percent growth, the Philippines can expect a similarly healthy growth outlook for 2024. Based on our analysis, there are three potential scenarios for the country’s growth. 33 McKinsey analysis in partnership with Oxford Economics.

Slower growth: The first scenario projects GDP growth of 4.8 percent if there are challenging conditions—such as declining trade and accelerated inflation—which could keep key policy rates high at about 6.5 percent and dampen private consumption, leading to slower long-term growth.

Soft landing: The second scenario projects GDP growth of 5.2 percent if inflation moderates and global conditions turn out to be largely favorable due to a stable investment environment and regional trade demand.

Accelerated growth: In the third scenario, GDP growth is projected to reach 6.1 percent if inflation slows and public policies accommodate aspects such as loosening key policy rates and offering incentive programs to boost productivity.

Focusing on factors that could unlock growth in its seven critical sectors and themes, while adapting to the macro-economic scenario that plays out, would allow the Philippines to materialize its growth potential in 2024 and take steps towards achieving longer-term, sustainable economic growth.

Jon Canto is a partner in McKinsey’s Manila office, where Frauke Renz is an associate partner, and Vicah Villanueva is a consultant.

The authors wish to thank Charlene Chua, Charlie del Rosario, Ryan delos Reyes, Debadrita Dhara, Evelyn C. Fong, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, Frances Lee, Aaron Ong, and Liane Tan for their contributions to this article.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

The Philippines Growth Dialogues

What does 2023 hold for the Philippines’ economy?

On the verge of a digital banking revolution in the Philippines

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Inside the Blunders That Plunged the College Admission Season Into Disarray

The Education Department was supposed to make applying for federal financial aid easier. Instead, it got worse.

By Erica L. Green and Zach Montague

Reporting from Washington

There were just days left to process a batch of federal financial aid applications when Education Department officials made a fateful discovery: 70,000 emails from students all over the country, containing reams of essential data.

They were sitting in an inbox, untouched.

That discovery last week started a panicked, three-day crash effort by more than 200 of the department’s employees, including Richard Cordray, the nation’s top student aid official, to read through each of the emails one by one and extract crucial identifying information required for financial aid. The students’ futures depended on it.

“It needs to get untangled,” Mr. Cordray told his staff members on Thursday, according to recordings of two back-to-back meetings that The New York Times obtained. “So, you know, I’m getting pretty impatient.”

An exasperated staff member shot back, “We worked all night long — literally — all night.”

It was another setback in the botched rollout of a new version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA, that millions of families and thousands of schools rely on to determine how students will pay for college. Three years ago, Congress ordered the Education Department to revamp the new form to make it easier and more accessible. It has been anything but.

For nearly six months, students and schools navigated a bureaucratic mess caused by severe delays in launching the website and processing critical information. A series of blunders by the department — from a haphazard rollout to technical meltdowns — have left students and schools in limbo and plunged the most critical stage of the college admissions season into disarray.

‘Hanging on by their fingernails’

In a normal year, students would be sorting through their financial aid offers by now, giving them plenty of time to prepare for the traditional decision day on May 1, when many schools expect commitments.

But this is not a normal year.

Because of the delays in the FAFSA rollout, schools do not have the information they need from the government to assemble financial aid offers. Students have had to postpone decisions about where to attend college because they have no idea how much aid they will receive.

Many schools are pushing back their enrollment deadlines to give students more time to figure out their finances, throwing college budgets and wait lists into chaos.

The Education Department has promised to meet a self-imposed deadline of Friday to start sending students’ financial information to schools. A Biden administration official, who asked for anonymity to discuss details of the process, said the department had begun sending out “small batches” of data over the weekend.

But the task ahead is monumental. The department is working with 5.7 million applications that are in so far, but more than 10 million additional ones are expected to roll in as students make their way through the process, which is still not functioning without delays .

“Financial aid offices across the country are hanging on by their fingernails at this point,” said Justin Draeger, the chief executive of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

A broken system

The goal of the revamped FAFSA system was to simplify the notoriously bewildering form by whittling it down from more than 100 questions to fewer than 40 and making it more accessible to lower-income students.

But it was not ready to roll out in October, when the FAFSA form usually becomes available for students to submit their families’ financial details to the government.

In late December, when the system finally launched, the problems were immediately apparent.

Technical malfunctions prevented many students from gaining access to the form on the website. Students reported being repeatedly kicked out or locked out of the form, or hung up on after holding for 30 minutes to three hours for someone to answer the department’s help line.

The bungled rollout has upended a critical function of the federal student aid process.

The government needs the FAFSA information to calculate how much federal aid students should receive. The schools, in turn, need that number to make their own calculations about how much a student should expect to pay at that particular college or university, after tallying up tuition and any extra scholarships.

For many students, the FAFSA estimate, which is sometimes received before they even hear back from any of the schools they applied to, is the first sign of hope that college is within reach.

Students in limbo

Andrea, a senior at KIPP Denver Collegiate High School in Colorado, will be the first person in her family to attend college. She has her heart set on Duke University.

But first, she has to navigate FAFSA.

“It’s agonizing,” said Andrea, 17, who asked to be identified by her first name to protect her parents, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico and are undocumented. “It’s deeper than a form. It’s our futures.”

Her case collided with perhaps the most pernicious flaw in the rollout: The new form froze out applicants who could not provide a social security number for themselves or their parent or caregiver, something that had not been an issue with the old form.

To get students with missing social security data approved, the Education Department asked applicants like Andrea to submit by email photographs of a driver’s license, identity card or other documents that would verify their identity. As the department prepared to announce last week that the social security number issue had been resolved, officials realized that the inbox, and its 70,000 emails, had gone untouched.

That prompted Mr. Cordray to assemble emergency teams of volunteers to work overtime to blast through the backlog.

The students, he said, were relying on them.

“This is a lot of the Dreamers , new immigrants and the kind of people who, if they can just get a hand up in the higher education process can make their way in this country,” Mr. Cordray said. “We want them to be able to do that.”

Although the previous FAFSA form was long and complex, seniors at Andrea’s school managed to fill out their forms without much incident in previous years. KIPP Colorado, part of a network of public charter schools with some of the highest college acceptance rates for low-income students in the country, holds an annual FAFSA night, when families gather to complete the form together.

This year, only about 20 percent of the students at FAFSA night were able to complete the form — a huge change from previous years, school officials said.

Karen Chavez, an assistant principal of college and career for KIPP Colorado, said she usually tried to assure students that college is in reach.

But she is struggling with that message this year.

“It’s hard for us as counselors, having to watch what I say or how I say things,” she said, “because I want to guard their hearts and manage their expectations.”

Who’s to blame?

The Government Accountability Office has started an investigation into the FAFSA rollout at the request of Republicans, who say it took a back seat to other priorities, like President Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness programs.

Several senior officials at the White House and the Education Department have cited unreasonably short timelines, problems with contractors and insufficient funding. Speaking on the condition of anonymity to openly discuss the problems, the officials acknowledged that other important assignments, such as restarting federal loan repayments and reopening schools after the coronavirus pandemic, used up vital resources.

Some Education Department officials privately complained that the contractor hired to build the new FAFSA platform was missing deadlines, according to two people familiar with the concerns. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

The company, General Dynamics Information Technology, was one of the contractors involved in the debacle of HealthCare.gov — an Obama-era online insurance marketplace that had a notoriously rough rollout in 2013.

A representative for General Dynamics Information Technology declined to comment, citing the company’s contract, which requires that it refer questions back to the Education Department.

“It’s not the case that anyone here didn’t realize how important this project is or how big this project is,” said James Kvaal, the under secretary at the Education Department. “And it’s been a top priority for us at the very highest levels of the department going back a year and a half now.”

There were obvious misses, such as a lack of robust user testing needed to catch what would turn out to be dozens of major technical problems. And the Education Department realized only in November that it had not adjusted a critical income formula, which would have denied more than $1 billion in aid to students.

Even as the department has tried to project optimism about its progress, officials privately harbored doubts.

On Feb. 13, Miguel A. Cardona, the education secretary, told reporters that once the technical problems were cleared, FAFSA would be a “15-minute process” and a “net win” for students and schools.

A week later, at a staff meeting, Mr. Cordray had a different assessment: “It’s really bad,” he said, according to people who heard the remarks. “It may get worse.”

In response to a request for comment for this article, Mr. Cordray said the Education Department’s focus was on delivering an updated and streamlined FAFSA.

“Our team is focused not on finger-pointing,” he said, “but on getting more federal student aid to deserving students and families.”

There are growing concerns that the FAFSA problems will disproportionately affect traditionally underserved communities, particularly Black, Latino, first-generation and low-income students.

For many of them, the biggest factor in deciding on a college is how to pay for it.

Student advocates fear many of them will simply give up, skipping college or relying on expensive loans to pay for it.

“The equity stakes are monumental,” said Kim Cook, the chief executive of the National College Attainment Network. “The later those letters come, the more the conversation shifts from where to go to if to go.”

This month, the Education Department began deploying its staff across the country to provide a so-called concierge service, backed with $50 million from the department’s budget, to provide technical support to colleges struggling with the delays.

But as of last week, officials had met in person with only 20 of the 180 schools that had reached out for extra support, according to a senior department official.

Lodriguez Murray, the senior vice president for public policy and government affairs at the United Negro College Fund, said the consequences of the FAFSA delays could be on par with the devastation that historically Black colleges and universities experienced in 2011, when the government made it harder for parents to obtain loans to help pay for their children’s educations. Enrollment at H.B.C.U.s plummeted by 40,000 in one year when the aid stream was cut off.

“It’s a crisis that seems unnecessary,” Mr. Murray said of the FAFSA fallout, “and one that we hope can still be averted.”

Erica L. Green is a White House correspondent, covering President Biden and his administration. More about Erica L. Green

Zach Montague is based in Washington. He covers breaking news and developments around the district. More about Zach Montague

March 21, 2024 64 °F PBS Passport .st0{fill:#0A145A;} .st1{fill:#5680FF;} .st2{fill:#FFFFFF;} UH Search for: Search MENU CLOSE News & Information Features Hello Houston inDepth Topics Local News Statewide News Business Education News Energy & Environment Health & Science Immigration Politics Transportation All Stories >>> Arts & Culture Arts & Culture Main Classical Music Music Opera & Musical Theater Dance Visual Art Literature Theatre & Film Voices and Verses: A Poem-A-Day Series Awareness Hispanic Heritage Pride Month: Better Together! Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Black History Women’s History Education Programs & Podcasts Local Programs Party Politics Houston Matters with Craig Cohen I SEE U with Eddie Robinson Texas Standard UH 100 Years of Houston Bauer Business Focus Briefcase Engines of Our Ingenuity Health Matters UH Moment Features Dead and Buried Career Frontier Podcasts Below the Waterlines: Houston After Hurricane Harvey Party Politics Skyline Sessions Encore Houston All Podcasts >> About About Us Meet the Team Join the Team Contact Us Ethics and Standards Reports & Financials Press Room Support Membership Update Payment Method Upgrade Your Monthly Gift Give a Gift Membership Giving Programs Affinity Council Studio Society In Tempore Legacy Society Innovation Fund Volunteers Foundation Board Young Leaders Council Mission Ambassadors Donations Giving Opportunities Vehicle Donation Employee Match Program More Ways to Give Partnerships Corporate Sponsorship Listen Watch Donate Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Linkedin Mastodon googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1488818411584-0'); }); HISD

Mike miles defends controversial houston isd principal evaluation system as calls for his removal ramp up.

State-appointed superintendent Mike Miles accused news outlets of distorting his performance evaluation system for campus principals. Researchers and multiple principals have said it’s too complicated, and more Houston ISD community members are now calling for it to end — and for Miles to go. 

After community members rallied to bombard his bosses with demands for his removal over the weekend, Houston ISD superintendent Mike Miles insisted at a Monday morning press conference that he and his controversial principal evaluation system are here to stay.

"I get that there’s both some confusion out there and some concern," Miles said, arguing that news media coverage failed to accurately describe 117 principals as "making good progress."

"Nobody said they’re not going to make it," he continued. "You want me to hire everybody back midseason even though we only played half the games. So that’s how we need to look at it, and to characterize and say, ‘Well, these principals, these high-performing schools aren’t going to make it, they’re going to be fired,' it’s like, no, that’s not the case."

Miles said he expects about 80% to 90% of campus leaders to be able to return next school year.

RELATED: Houston ISD warns 120 principals to improve performance, suggests possible legal action against Houston Chronicle over leak publication

Just before Spring Break, 117 campus leaders were told to improve their performance or risk removal . The Houston Chronicle published, then took down, a list of 117 principals who received an email about the mid-year performance results.

Miles told principals the district had threatened the paper with legal action unless it took down the list, while the Chronicle suggested in an editor's note that "a tip" from an unnamed source called at least one name on the list into question.

Miles continued to harshly criticize the Chronicle even after the list was taken down, calling the initial publication "unconscionable." Community members from some of the district's top-achieving schools expressed outrage when they found their campus leaders on the list, and they praised the newspaper for the decision to publish.

On Monday, Miles initially said, "I’m not saying anything about any other list," then called into question the accuracy of the Chronicle's list and again described it as "illegally obtained" before adding "not by the Chronicle — I mean, internally."

RELATED: Houston ISD community reacts to possible removal of principals at high-achieving schools, praises Houston Chronicle for publishing list

Maria Calzada is president of the PTO at Carnegie Vanguard High School. Her son is an alumnus, and her daughter is a sophomore. Carnegie's long-standing, well-liked principal Ramon Moss was included in the Chronicle's list.

"Principal Moss seems to somehow be good with teachers, good with parents and students, and just a genuine person — like, a very humble person," Calzada said. "When this hit, it was like a bomb. I mean, everybody just lost their minds."

Houston ISD community members have organized a message-writing campaign, pressuring Mike Miles' bosses on the state-appointed management board and other education policymakers to "publicly denounce Mr. Miles' flawed principal evaluation system that will devastate our school communities."

"Over and over again, public trust has been broken," one draft of a template message argued, going on to assert that a potential multi-billion-dollar bond package for school security and facilities improvements could be threatened if Miles "continues as the leader of our district."

Calzada emphasized the school's PTO has not taken a position on a potential bond.

"We have asked for everyone to show up at the (Thursday evening management board) meeting," she said. "We have asked that people stick on a positive message about not only Principal Moss but the school."

But, Calzada added, she is "more personally aligned" with opposition to a bond unless Miles is removed.

"I mean, I’ve never not voted for a bond," she said. "It's difficult because ... we do need money going to the schools. It's hard, too, because we’re playing a game with people who don’t want to win. I’m not certain that (a bond package) is the pressure point that we need, and I don’t know what really is. It’s hard. It’s been keeping me up at night."

The state-appointed management board is slated to meet on Thursday , just over two months from the one-year anniversary of their installment by the Texas Education Agency. The board approved the framework for the principal evaluation system in October , and the specific metrics have since gone through a series of revisions.

The TEA-approved governance model for the state-appointed management board recommends a relatively hands-off approach. The model calls for the state appointees to only engage in "board work," which the TEA defines as "operations designated by (the law) or items designated by the board’s adopted (long-term goals, progress measures and operating procedures)."

"Items that are not legally required and that the board has not designated as board work are, by default, superintendent work," the governance framework states. One of the key pillars of the framework measures whether the board "operates in a way that allows the superintendent to accomplish the vision," calling for managers to "only adopt local policies pertaining to board work."

In order for the TEA to end the takeover, the management board must follow the TEA-approved governance model .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Houston Public Media (@houstonpubmedia)

Miles said he wasn't aware of the message-writing campaign during the Monday morning press conference, and he pushed back on the idea that the district faces a choice between his continued leadership and a much-needed bond package.

"That’s a false choice," he said, nodding to his belief that Houston's news outlets need to do a better job. "We’re going to move forward. We’re going to make sense. You’re going to help me by — it’s not your job to help me, but you can help by giving correct information and not saying that 100 principals are going to be fired, right?"

"If you give correct information, if what I say continues to be out there ... then we stay this course, the community will come along," Miles continued. "There’s always going to be other messages. We stay on our message, and we show results for our kids."

He also commented on his expected longevity in a presentation to principals two weeks ago. Houston Public Media obtained audio of his opening remarks, when he told principals that he won't listen to any input "with regard to instructional values and how principals are scored and evaluated" because the system is "up to (Miles)" and his executive team. He told them to not go "outside the chain of decision-making" because those efforts would have no impact on him.

"Does anybody believe that I will not be here next year?" Miles told principals. "You cannot wait it out."

Resources like these are made possible by the generosity of our community of donors, foundations, and corporate partners. Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today! DONATE

Sign up for our daily weekday newsletter - hello, houston sign up now.

Apple Vision Pro unlocks new opportunities for health app developers

Surgical Planning and Education

• Fundamental Surgery , which delivers surgical training through spatial computing for Apple Vision Pro.
• CollaboratOR 3D by KARL STORZ, which enhances surgical learning opportunities while allowing teams to scale their training efforts.
• Elsevier’s Complete HeartX , designed exclusively for Apple Vision Pro, which provides a captivating experience as it delves into the intricacies of the human body to create a realistic and engaging learning environment.
• Insight Heart , which lets users understand the human heart like never before. With ARKit, users can easily scan their physical surroundings and visualize 3D hearts using CT data, as well as explore various heart conditions.

Productivity and Collaboration

• Visage Ease VP , which supports immersive spatial experiences for diagnostic imaging and multimedia. UC San Diego Health became the first health system to pilot the technology with the goal of improving patient care, looking at opportunities like potentially helping inefficient tumor board reviews and creating collaborative spaces in healthcare.
• Falcon Vue , which unleashes the power of spatial medical imaging viewing across all modalities.
• Medivis , which brings SurgicalAR Vision to Apple Vision Pro, enhancing medical imaging to support surgical precision and patient care.

Behavioral Health and Wellness

• The Mindfulness app on Apple Vision Pro, designed to transform users’ surroundings into a calming, immersive environment.
• TRIPP , which delivers signature experiences for Vision Pro with illuminating visuals and Spatial Audio for guided breathing exercises and sleep experience.
• Healium , which brings beautifully designed experiences to Vision Pro users, helping them relax and build resilience by creating stress-reducing memories of nature-based escapes.
• Odio , which uses Spatial Audio and intuitive gestures to display beautiful 3D images in a user’s space for focus, relaxation, or peaceful sleep.

Text of this article

March 11, 2024

Breakthrough health and wellness apps are designed to take advantage of the infinite canvas in visionOS, unveiling spatial experiences that benefit users in clinical settings and at home

For decades, medical institutions and developers have taken advantage of Apple’s innovative products and frameworks to help achieve better patient outcomes, increase cost savings, broaden research opportunities, and improve efficiency. From using iPad to lower the cost and shorten the length of NICU stays so newborns can be at home with their families, to iPhone helping nurses respond faster to alerts and alarms and improve medication administration, the healthcare community has driven purposeful change with powerful Apple products at their fingertips.

Now, with the introduction of Apple Vision Pro, developers have unparalleled opportunities to deliver experiences that can positively impact people’s lives, whether they’re at home or at a clinic. Vision Pro seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world, unlocking powerful spatial experiences in an infinite canvas. And with the unique capabilities of visionOS, healthcare developers are creating new apps that were not previously possible, transforming areas such as clinical education, surgical planning, training, medical imaging, behavioral health, and more.

“We’re thrilled to see the incredible apps that developers across the healthcare community are bringing to Apple Vision Pro,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “The imagination and drive of our developers, combined with the technical capabilities of visionOS, are igniting new possibilities for physicians, frontline workers, and even students, and we can’t wait to see what’s to come.”

Here are just a few of the apps currently available on Apple Vision Pro in the healthcare and wellness space.

More than 1 million Americans receive a knee or hip replacement surgery every year, and that number will continue to rise as the population ages. 1 When surgeons use Stryker’s Mako SmartRobotics for total hip, total knee, and partial knee replacements, it can help lead to better patient outcomes like less pain and shorter recovery times, compared to traditional joint replacement surgeries. With the new myMako app, Stryker is extending a surgeon’s experience in and beyond the operating room with Apple Vision Pro and iPhone. For better preparation, myMako allows surgeons to visualize and review patients’ Mako surgical plans at any time in a brilliant, immersive visual experience.

“The myMako app for Apple Vision Pro allows surgeons the ability to access intricate surgical plan details and insights at their fingertips in a 3D-native, intuitive, and dynamic way. This level of insight — anytime, anywhere — was previously not possible,” said Robert Cohen, Stryker’s president of Digital, Robotics, and Enabling Technologies. “With Apple Vision Pro, Stryker’s market-leading enabling technologies such as Mako SmartRobotics have the exciting potential to transform the way surgeons think about preoperative planning and the intraoperative experience, all consistent with Stryker’s mission to make healthcare better.”

To alleviate some of the timely challenges healthcare workers face in onboarding and training, Boston Children’s Hospital developed a comprehensive learning experience in a safe, universally accessible virtual environment. Created for Apple Vision Pro, CyranoHealth places a spotlight on skills related to new medical equipment, like medical infusion pumps, helping improve confidence and reduce anxiety for frontline workers, beginning with nurses. This immersive, multisensory approach allows students to familiarize themselves with the latest advancements in healthcare technology, helping to prepare them to navigate real-world challenges.

“CyranoHealth utilizes spatial computing to revolutionize the training of healthcare professionals, offering immersive, lifelike simulations to enhance learning and combat burnout. The app represents a significant leap forward in healthcare training, blending technology and medicine to create a future-ready workforce,” said John Brownstein, Ph.D., Boston Children’s chief innovation officer.

Additional apps in surgical planning and education include:

“At Apple, we believe technology can play an important role in the evolution of healthcare,” said Sumbul Desai, MD, Apple’s vice president of Health. “With the ability to transform a user’s space, display 3D objects at life size, and see all relevant data in one view, the opportunities for health developers to use Apple Vision Pro to help improve procedural planning, education, and outcomes are limitless.”

Siemens Healthineers’ Cinematic Reality app on Apple Vision Pro allows surgeons, medical students, and patients to view immersive, interactive holograms of the human body captured through medical scans in their real-world environment. Using Metal and the power of the M2 processor, the app integrates advanced path-tracing technology, simulating light interactions with virtual objects to deliver breathtakingly realistic lighting and reflections.

“Cinematic Reality gives people the opportunity to immerse themselves in a world of photorealistic renderings of the human anatomy,” said Christian Zapf, Siemens Healthineers’ head of Digital & Automation. “Apple Vision Pro perfectly presents that three-dimensional experience, combined with great flexibility and standalone use. We see great potential for the technology for clinical as well as educational purposes.”

Medical records are core to any clinician’s work with a patient, whether it’s understanding their health history or finding new opportunities to support improved health outcomes. Epic Systems, an electronic health records company, is introducing its Epic Spatial Computing Concept for Apple Vision Pro to allow physicians and clinicians to easily complete charting, review labs, communicate using secure chat, and complete In Basket workflows through intuitive gestures, like simply tapping their fingers to select, flicking their wrist to scroll, or using a virtual keyboard or dictation to type.

“Creating the first electronic health record experience for spatial computing was an exciting project for our developers,” said Seth Howard, Epic’s senior vice president of Research & Development. “With Apple Vision Pro, clinicians will be able to interact with their patients’ health information in new, immersive ways. We welcome ideas from the physician community about how this technology can expand the future of healthcare delivery.”

Additional apps in productivity and collaboration include:

Cedars-Sinai’s Xaia app takes full advantage of the unique capabilities of Apple Vision Pro to support patients’ mental health needs. Through its trained digital avatar, Xaia offers patients AI-enabled, conversational mental health support in relaxing spatial environments where they can also do deep breathing exercises and meditation. The immersive therapy sessions take place in environments that are most comfortable to users — whether they choose to remain in their own space, or transform their environment into a relaxing location like a beach. Privacy remains core to the app; it requires no personal information or health information.

“Apple Vision Pro’s stunning display offers a gateway into a world of immersive, interactive behavioral health support — a quantum leap beyond previous technologies,” said Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, professor of medicine, director of Health Services Research, and director of the master’s degree program in Health Delivery Science at Cedars-Sinai. “With Xaia, we leverage every pixel of that remarkable resolution and the full spectrum of vivid colors to craft a form of immersive therapy that’s engaging and deeply personal. With this remarkable device, our team was able to completely reimagine how spatial computing can support behavioral health and overall wellbeing in ways never before possible.”

Additional apps in behavioral health and wellness include:

• https://rheumatology.org/patients/joint-replacement-surgery

Press Contacts

Zaina Khachadourian

[email protected]

Andrea Schubert

[email protected]

Apple Media Helpline

[email protected]

Images in this article

China Tells US to Not Take Sides on South China Sea Issue

FILE PHOTO: U.S. and Chinese flags are seen in this illustration taken, January 30, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said the United States must refrain from "stirring up trouble" or taking sides on the South China Sea issue, after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a security deal with the Manila extended to attacks on the Philippine coast guard.

Blinken called the U.S. security commitment with the Philippines "ironclad", and said China's actions in the South China Sea had triggered a wider international reaction.

The Chinese embassy in Philippines said in a statement on Wednesday that Chinese activities in the South China Sea were "legitimate and lawful", adding that Blinken's remarks "ignore the facts, baselessly accuse China".

It also said Blinken has again "threatened China with the so-called U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty obligations", which China firmly opposed.

The Philippines and United States are bound by a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty by which they must support each other if there is an attack. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr last year pushed Washington to make clear the extent of that security commitment.

On Tuesday, Blinken said the deal extended to armed attacks on the Philippine armed forces, public vessels and aircraft, and its coast guard.

Photos You Should See

China has said the United States threatens peace and stability in the South China Sea, is not a party to issues there, and has no right to intervene in maritime issues between it and the Philippines.

"The U.S. keeps saying that it wants to safeguard freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, but in fact it wants to guarantee the freedom of navigation of U.S. warships. The fact that U.S. warships and planes traveled thousands of miles to China's doorstep to flaunt their might and provoke trouble is an out-and-out hegemonic activity," the Chinese embassy said.

(Reporting by Liz Lee, Bernard Orr and Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Gerry Doyle)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Join the Conversation

Tags: United States , Vietnam , Asia , Malaysia , Brunei , Philippines

Best Countries

Health News Bulletin

Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

Cartoons on President Donald Trump

Feb. 1, 2017, at 1:24 p.m.

Photos: Obama Behind the Scenes

April 8, 2022

Photos: Who Supports Joe Biden?

March 11, 2020

What to Know: The Texas Immigration Law

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder March 20, 2024

Fed Still Sees Rate Cuts in 2024

Tim Smart March 20, 2024

Trump’s (Money) Judgment Day

Lauren Camera March 20, 2024

Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primaries

Susan Milligan March 20, 2024

Who Could Be Trump’s VP?

Lauren Camera March 19, 2024

The Status of the Cases Against Trump

Lauren Camera and Kaia Hubbard March 19, 2024