The IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the country’s biggest organization of IT-BPM players, has backed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s statement of strengthening the foundational skills of students when it comes to Science, Mathematics, and reading to hone the future workforce.

During his State of the Nation Address last Monday, President Marcos Jr. ordered that the gaps in the Philippine education system be addressed, given the “poor reality” hounding young learners.

The President stated that the national learning recovery program must proceed “without the slightest disruption,” especially in basic education.

“IBPAP welcomes the government’s push to strengthen foundational skills in mathematics, science, and reading, coupled with programs like ARAL, TESDA’s senior high school integration, and investment in digital learning tools. These initiatives are vital to building a digitally fluent, future-ready workforce,” the group stressed.

In October 2024, President Marcos Jr. signed into law the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Act, which establishes a national learning intervention program for struggling learners to meet grade-level standards.

To be led by the Department of Education, the ARAL Act is a free project that would focus on improving students’ competencies in essential learning areas, including reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and Science for Grades 3 to 10. 

Reaffirming key priorities

Further, the IBPAP said the 2025 SONA reaffirmed key national priorities, education reform, digital infrastructure, and investor confidence, which directly support the continued expansion of the IT-BPM industry.

“While IT-BPM is not specifically mentioned, we remain confident that our sector remains a strategic partner of the government to contribute to the growth of the Philippine economy,” the IBPAP said in its statement.

The group maintained that with 1.82 million direct jobs and a growing presence in high-potential cities, the ITBPM industry remains a critical engine of inclusive growth, innovation, and foreign investment.

Moreover, the group stressed that connectivity advancements, including the National Fiber Backbone and the expansion of free Wi-Fi to 10,000 public spaces, reinforce the viability of hybrid work models and countryside expansion.

Furthermore, they said efforts to streamline business processes through eGov PH, modernize infrastructure, and uphold governance standards send a strong signal to global investors: the Philippines is ready for next-wave growth.

“IBPAP remains fully aligned with this vision. We are advancing enabling policies such as CREATE MORE, the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act, and amendments to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, while expanding the talent pipeline and attracting new investments. We remain on track to reach 1.9 million jobs and $40 billion in export revenues by the end of 2025,” according to the group. (RAFFY AYENG)