Refusing to falter amid the staggering national education crisis, the University of Batangas (UB) issued a bold mandate to its faculty to rise above the nationwide decay and forge an uncompromising model of academic excellence during its Founders Memorial Lecture at the UB Juan Y. Javier Culture and Arts Building on March 12, 2026.
UB President Lily Marlene J. Hernandez-Bohn delivered an opening remark, reminding the faculty of the immense weight they carry.
“Our founders understood that the strength of a nation rests on the education of its people, and that investing in learning is an investment in progress, peace, and prosperity,” Hernandez-Bohn stated. She further stressed the urgency of their mission, adding, “The work of nation-building begins where education is strongest.”
Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) Executive Director Dr. Rhodora Angela Fernandez Ferrer headlined the assembly, directing her urgent message toward the UB Basic Education faculty members from both the Batangas City and Lipa City campuses, alongside student attendees.
Laying out the stark realities of the education sector, Dr. Ferrer highlighted a massive public-private enrollment imbalance. She noted that public schools absorb 92% of K-6 students, leaving only 8% to private institutions. This disparity crushes the public system, creating a shortage of 165,000 classrooms and causing an ongoing lack of textbooks. To alleviate this burden, the Department of Education (DepEd) currently explores Public-Private Partnerships, expands voucher programs, and leases closed private schools. Meanwhile, the country’s 9,800 private K-6 schools struggle without government subsidies, prompting the government to consider prioritizing the K-6 level in future voucher expansions.
Dr. Ferrer also exposed alarming national dropout rates. She revealed that the student population severely dropped from 14.7 million in K-6 to a mere 7.6 million in junior high, with the sharpest declines occurring between grades 3 to 4 and 6 to 7 in 2024 – 2025. Questioning the effectiveness of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) for these dropouts, she pointed out that ALS students frequently struggle to navigate senior high school.
To combat these critical failures, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) – where Dr. Ferrer serves on the Advisory Council – recently extended its operations to implement a 10-year workforce development plan. The commission labeled its latest report “Fixing the foundations, a matter of national survival” due to the massive failure of students to cross into junior high.
Against this grim national backdrop, Dr. Ferrer urged the university to stand out as a beacon of quality.
“The islands of success should work – that UB should be an island of success. Yes, everywhere else there’s a problem, but not in UB. We do things right here,” Dr. Ferrer declared.
She emphasized that the university must ensure its graduates possess the right standards and competencies, making them employable, college-ready, well-informed, and socially responsible.
A robust roster of university officials attended the event to champion this initiative. Board of Regents Chairman Atty. Jesus V. Mayo and UB President Hernandez-Bohn led the delegation. They joined Senior Vice President for Administration Mr. Alex A. Ramos, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Aurora P. Tolentino, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Lolita F. Tegon, Assistant Vice President for Legal Affairs Atty. Vicente Bernardo V. Mayo, Jr., and Auditor Mrs. Maria Cecilia Q. Verceles. Basic education leaders Dr. Hilaria A. Guico (Junior High School Principal), Dr. Augusto C. Africa (Senior High School Principal), and Dr. Jonathan J. Ramirez (Grade School Principal) also mobilized their respective departments for the lecture.
Closing the program, Dr. Tolentino laid out a definitive roadmap for student development that directly targets foundational learning gaps. She mandated the educators to push students far beyond basic literacy.
“Students will not just read, they will read with comprehension. They will not just read with comprehension, but develop critical thinking. They will not just read with comprehension, develop critical thinking, better still, be able to communicate well through speaking and writing,” Dr. Tolentino highlighted. She expressed profound hope for a collaborative turnaround. “‘Pag nangyari po ito – sa tulong ng paaralan, ng tahanan, ng buong komunidad – the state of the Philippine education [and] the narrative that Dr. Doris mentioned about the basic education in the Philippines will change for the better.”
By actively addressing the national learning crisis and equipping educators with a concrete mandate, the University of Batangas decisively advances the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This lecture strongly champions SDG 4: Quality Education by demanding higher standards for reading comprehension, critical analysis, and effective communication. Furthermore, by framing education as the ultimate driver of national progress and student employability, the institution aggressively promotes SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.