The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has released updated findings from the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), revealing that an estimated 24.83 million Filipinos aged 10 to 64 are considered functionally illiterate.
According to PSA’s media release earlier this week, the functionally illiterate are those who are basically literate (can read, write, and compute only), low literate (can read and write only) or illiterate (cannot read and write).
In response to recent reports, the PSA issued the new media release to clarify that the number of functionally illiterate Filipinos is not confined to high school graduates or junior high school completers.
The 24.83 million figure reflects the total number of individuals aged 10 to 64, regardless of their highest level of education completed, who are unable to fully apply their literacy skills “because of lack of comprehension.”
Of this total, 5.58 million individuals who are high school graduates or junior high school completers are considered basically literate but not functionally literate due to gaps in comprehension.
Additionally, the number of not functionally literate high school graduates and junior high school completers aged 10 to 64 is estimated at 6.45 million.
“The PSA has no report, in any form, stating that the estimated number of functionally illiterate high school graduates and junior high school completers is 19 million,” it said.
Functional literacy in the Philippines refers to the ability not just to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic, but also to comprehend, process, and apply information to daily life.
The definition of functional literacy has evolved in recent years. In 2024, the PSA introduced a revised standard that requires a higher level of comprehension, focusing not just on basic reading and writing but also on the ability to integrate and apply information in real-world scenarios.
This updated definition means that many high school graduates and junior high school completers, previously considered functionally literate, now fall outside of that classification due to the new emphasis on comprehension and application.
As of 2024, 90% of Filipinos aged 5 and above are classified as basic literates, meaning they can read, write, understand simple messages, and perform basic math.
The 2024 FLEMMS found that 70.8% of Filipinos aged 10 to 64—about 60.17 million individuals—meet the new, stricter definition of functional literacy.
