Transformative, lifelong learning key to PHL’s ‘future economy’

POPCOM chief at the UN-CPD’s 56th Session: The Philippine government’s thrust to pursue transformative education and lifelong learning will be crucial in improving the country’s potential for growth through economically productive workers, thus heralding the country’s “future economy.” This was emphasized by Undersecretary for Population and Development (POPDEV) Lisa Grace S. Bersales, Ph.D. on April 11 at the 56th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD 56), where she delivered the national statement before global stakeholders based on this year’s theme of population, education and sustainable development. During the session, POPCOM’s executive director imparted the country’s current demographic conditions that are providing critical opportunities for accelerating its human and socioeconomic development. As she cited the Philippines’ significant total fertility rate decline of 1.9 in 2022, which is already below replacement level, the POPCOM chief said that this occurrence has contributed to the gradual decrease in population growth rate and changing population-age structure, with an increasing proportion of the working-age population. Bersales likewise revealed that within Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administration’s socioeconomic development agenda, transformative lifelong opportunities will be pursued as an integral strategy to ensure all Filipinos will realize their full potential centered on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly on Quality Education or SDG 4. This, she said, has yielded a wider window of opportunity for optimizing the country’s demographic dividend. “We envision that by 2028, more Filipinos would have increased access to high-quality education and lifelong learning opportunities that will equip them further with additional and enhanced competencies. These will support their positive contribution to the economy, their respective communities, and to society as a whole,” the POPDEV undersecretary said. Transformative education and lifelong learning, according to her, was outlined in the Philippine Development Plan for 2023-2028 as key strategies aimed at improving the quality, inclusivity, adaptability and resiliency of basic education; attaining globally competitive as well as inclusive technical and vocational education and training; plus heightening governance for human-capital development. She enumerated various legislation such as the Philippine Qualifications Framework Act, or Republic Act 10968, which seeks to establish standards and levels of learning outcomes aligned with industry qualifications toward holistic human capital development. The Philippine Skills Framework, the POPCOM official furthered, was also developed and is being implemented jointly by agencies on higher education, skills development and employment to better prepare the labor force for the said “future economy.” Meanwhile, the Philippine Youth Development Plan (2023-2028), she conveyed, is presently enabling unified action among the young, institutions and stakeholders promoting holistic and meaningful youth participation by promoting health and educational outcomes. Sustaining the demographic dividend: Realizing the actions promoted through the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD-POA), the POPCOM chief also underscored inclusivity within Philippine society by empowering women and girls. Being the cornerstone of the country’s POPDEV program, she echoed the need to improve their access to education while fulfilling their reproductive health rights. In this regard, the head of POPCOM highlighted Executive Order 141’s key role in instituting a whole-of-government approach in further strengthening the national government’s efforts toward significantly reducing adolescent pregnancies: “These include initiatives enabling young mothers to continue their education and skills development through alternative learning systems or modalities,” such as those provided under the Social Protection Program for Adolescent Mothers and their Children, or SPPAMC. Bersales added that the Philippine Population and Development Program, or PPDP, mandates the adoption of life-cycle and intergenerational approaches to development as a key population strategy: “It underscores the need to improve investments in the development and wellbeing of children and young people, while ensuring those of older age groups throughout their life course to sustain the country’s demographic dividend.” In closing, she reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to achieve the remaining targets of the ICPD-POA and the UN-SDGs to ensure that the country meets the tenets of SDG 4: “Recognizing the impact of global population dynamics, we will continue to engage in global cooperation, while remaining steadfast in working toward international consensus and collaborative actions in promoting sustainable and human socioeconomic development.” ###