Photo Release

Gatchalian pushes for non-formal educ bill: Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, discusses a proposal to promote non-formal education among out-of-school youths, cultural minorities, indigenous people and persons with disabilities during a public hearing Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Gatchalian cited statistics showing that 25 million Filipinos did not graduate from high school and about 10 percent of the population cannot read nor write. “There is an urgent need to strengthen the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program so we can reach the 25 million Filipinos who most likely do not have good jobs. When you have a low-paying job, you become vulnerable to crime, abuse and trafficking," Gatchalian said. Also in photo is Sen. Nancy Binay. (PRIB Photo by Cesar Tomambo/27 November 2019).