1 October 2024, LOOK: The 157th Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) meeting, chaired by DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, brought together council members and representatives on Monday, September 30, 2024 to discuss ongoing literacy initiatives. The meeting featured presentations on the Council’s recent accomplishments and upcoming plans, with an emphasis on improving both basic and functional literacy nationwide.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also reported on the upcoming Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), which will cover 720,000 individuals across 180,336 households. Secretary Angara requested further analysis on how literacy is measured in other countries to address discrepancies between high literacy rates and low rankings in international assessments.

In attendance were council members Congressman Roman Romulo, PIA Director-General Jose Torres, Jr., PNU President Dr. Bert Tuga, and Synergia Foundation CEO Dr. Milwida Guevara. Representing council members were DepEd Assistant Secretary Janir Ty Datukan, Dir. Anna Liza Bonagua (DILG), Dir. Girlie Grace Casimiro-Igtiben (NEDA), Mr. Darrel Winthrop Torres and Ms. Josephine Babaran (PIA), Dr. Maria Azela Tamayo (PNU), and Mr. Adnan P. Ahmad (Senate – OS Gatchalian).