ENSURE EDUCATION FOR ALL FILIPINOS AMID CRISIS - ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today emphasized the need to prioritize education in times of gripping financial crisis and credit crunch since it has long-term repercussions and inadequate investments on education of Filipinos would be detrimental to our drive towards global competitiveness.

"In times of crisis, Filipinos tend to prioritize basic needs for survival like food, shelter and utilities and education is often relegated to the sides. This phenomenon if unabated would lead to long-term deterioration of our educational system and our country's competitiveness," said Angara who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance.

According to a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Monitoring Report on Education for All, "Overcoming Inequality: Why Governance Matters", many countries including the Philippines were way off target in their goal of achieving universal primary education.

The UNESCO report also concluded that RP's education inequalities "mirror" income inequalities.

Angara who've always emphasized the need to give priority on human capital investments, urged Commission on Higher Education and the SUCs on their last budget hearing to focus its budget on four priorities: faculty development, facilities improvement, student scholarship and research, to improve RP's higher education competitiveness.

"The most effective way to surmount poverty has always been education, and it remains to be so. But how can we help our country hurdle poverty if it is poverty itself that is hindering them from getting quality education? That is why I am always advocating for additional investments on education," added Angara.