Education reform is no longer optional but essential to national survival, according to the final report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Titled “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform,” the report capped three years of extensive assessment conducted since EDCOM II’s creation under Republic Act 11899.

“What began as a reckoning that the system was in crisis has now become a turning point,” said EDCOM II co-chair and House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chairperson Jude Acidre.

The commission cited reforms addressing stunting and early childhood nutrition, including the proposed Anti-Stunting Action Plan Council Act of 2025 and increased funding for the First 1,000 Days initiative, which rose from P240 million in 2024 to P977 million in 2025.

The report highlighted expanded investments in Child Development Centers, with P1 billion allocated in the 2025 budget for 238 centers in low-income local government units, including those in the Bangsamoro region.

A key legislation was Republic Act 12199, or the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act, which created plantilla positions for child development workers and expanded professional training through TESDA and CHEd.

TESDA allocated P240 million in scholarships for nearly 9,800 child development workers, with additional funds earmarked under the 2025 national budget.

“As we look beyond EDCOM II, co-responsibility, collaboration, and community must define the future of Philippine education,” Acidre said.