The fundamental literacy rate among individuals aged five and above in the Philippines was estimated at 90%, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), referencing data from the most recent survey findings.
According to the PSA’s 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), approximately 93.1 million Filipinos out of a total population of 103.5 million are deemed to possess basic literacy.
The PSA characterizes “basic literacy” as an individual’s capability to read and write a straightforward message in any language or dialect with comprehension, and to carry out or execute basic arithmetic functions.
Conversely, functional literacy is described as the capacity of an individual to read, write, calculate, and understand, encompassing more advanced comprehension skills, such as synthesizing two or more data points and drawing conclusions based on the provided information.
The functional literacy rate stood at 70.8%, or around 60.2 million Filipinos from a demographic of 85 million aged between 10 to 64, according to the PSA.
Women recorded a basic literacy rate of 90.9%, whereas men had a basic literacy rate of 89%.
Individuals in the 20-24 age bracket exhibited the highest basic literacy level with a rate of 96.1%, while those aged 60 and above showed the lowest at 76.2%.
Seven out of 18 regions achieved basic literacy rates exceeding the national average.
Central Luzon topped the list with a basic literacy rate of 92.8%, followed by the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR, 92.7%), Calabarzon (92.6%), Central Visayas (92.1%), National Capital Region (NCR, 92%), Northern Mindanao (90.8%), and Davao Region (90.2%).
Meanwhile, four regions exceeded the national functional literacy rates, namely CAR (81.2%), NCR (79.9%), Calabarzon (77.3%), and Central Luzon (73%).
The FLEMMS is carried out every five years, with the latest iteration being the seventh in a series of literacy surveys that began in 1989. The 2024 survey was executed between September and October 2024. — Matthew Miguel L. Castillo
