2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS)

Insights, Challenges and Opportunities

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Dr. Dennis S. Mapa

National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Philippine Statistics Authority

31 July 2025

Outline of Presentation

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1. Overview of the 2024 FLEMMS
2. Definition of Basic and Functional Literacy
3. Preliminary Results on Basic and Functional Literacy
4. Comparison of Literacy Rates Across Countries in the ASEAN
5. Remaining Statistics to be Generated: (a) Digital ICT Skills (b) PIAAC – Adults’ Proficiency in Literacy, Numeracy and Problem Solving

Overview

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• The Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) is a nationwide household-based survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) by virtue of Executive Order No. 87 Series of 2025

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• The 2024 FLEMMS is the seventh in the series of literacy surveys

2024

2019

2013

2008

2003

1994

1989

Overview

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Survey Objective

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The FLEMMS aims to gather data on Basic Literacy, Functional Literacy, Digital Literacy, and Mass Media Exposure, and other related data relevant to education and literacy.

Overview

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Sample Size

• Covers about 172,800 sample housing units or 16 replicates, sufficient to generate estimates from national down to provincial/Highly Urbanized City (HUC) level.
• In terms of number of households and individuals, covered were 177,656 eligible sample households and 572,910 individuals 5 years old and over.

Current Conceptual Definitions of Basic and Functional Literacy

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Basic literacy is defined as the ability of a person to read and write a simple message in any language or dialect with understanding, and to compute or perform basic mathematical operations.

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Functional literacy is the ability of a person to read, write, compute, and comprehend. In addition to the basic literacy skills, functional literacy includes higher level of comprehension skills, such as integrating two or more pieces of information and making inferences based on the given information.

Operational Definitions of Basic and Functional Literate, Old and Current

Old and Current Definitions of Basic and Functional Literate by Level of Literacy

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Preliminary Results (Basic Literacy)

Basic Literacy Rate (%)

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* Cannot be computed in 2019 since the numeracy questions were only applicable for 10 to 64 years old.

Figure 1. Basic Literacy Rate of Population 5 Years Old and Over

by Region, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey

• Basic literacy rate was highest in Central Luzon (Region III) (92.8%).

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• BARMM

recorded the lowest (81.0%).

Figure 2. Basic Literacy Rate of Population 5 Years Old and Over by Sex and Age Group, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey

• Basic literacy rate was higher for females (90.9%) than for males (89.0%).
• Age group 20 to 24 years old had the highest basic literacy rate at 96.1%.
• Age group 60 years old and over reported the lowest basic literacy rate at 76.2%.

Figure 3. Basic Literacy Rate of Population 5 Years Old and Over by Highest Grade Completed, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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90.0

25.6

65.4

82.8

95.0

96.0

96.4

97.3

98.0

PHILIPPINES

No grade completed

Early childhood education

Elementary

High School Post-Secondary

Non-tertiary

Short-Cycle Tertiary

College

Post Baccalaureate

• Individuals who reached or completed Post Baccalaureate (98.0%) recorded the highest basic literacy rate.

• Individuals who have No Grade Completed (25.6%) had the lowest basic

literacy rate.

Figure 4. Basic Literacy Rate of Top 10 Provinces, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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90.0

^{95.2 94.9 94.60} 94.23 94.22 94.20

^{93.7 93.64} 93.56 93.5

Cavite

Bulacan

PHILIPPINES Apayao Benguet Romblon Nueva Ecija Bohol Rizal South Cotabato Bataan

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Note: Benguet (excluding City of Baguio) and South Cotabato (excluding City of General Santos City)

• Basic literacy rate was highest in Apayao (95.2%) among provinces.

Figure 5. Basic Literacy Rate of Bottom 10 Provinces, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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90.0

60.9

73.6

74.2

74.9

78.8

80.0

80.1

81.6

82.8

83.3

• Basic literacy rate was lowest in Tawi-Tawi (60.9%) among provinces.

Note: Zamboanga del Sur (excluding City of Zamboanga) and Lanao del Norte (excluding City of Iligan)

Figure 6. Basic Literacy Rate of Top 10 Highly Urbanized Cities, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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90.0

96.2 96.1

^{95.50 95.50} 95.2 95.1 _{94.9 94.7}

94.6

94.3

PHILIPPINES Pasay City

City of Cagayan de Oro

City of San Juan

Cityof Pasig

City of Mandaue

Pateros

City of Olongapo

City of Cebu City of Taguig City of Makati

• Basic literacy rate was highest in Pasay City (96.2%) among highly urbanized cities.

Figure 7. Basic Literacy Rate of Bottom 10 Highly Urbanized Cities, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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90.0

82.9

87.0

88.3

88.8 88.9 ^89.0

89.9 90.0 90.0

90.4

• Basic literacy rate was lowest in City of Isabela (82.9%) among highly urbanized cities.

Figure 8. Percentage of Population 5 Years Old and Over

by Level of Literacy, Philippines: 2024

_3.2%6.9%

• About 6.9% or 7 out of 100 individuals aged five (5) years and over were illiterate.
• Males (7.6%) had higher proportion of individuals aged five (5) years and over were illiterate than females (6.1%).
• The highest proportion of individuals who were illiterate was recorded in age group five (5) to nine (9) years at 20.1%.
• BARMM had the highest proportion of individuals aged five (5) years and over who were illiterate at 14.4%.

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90.0%

Basic Literate Low Literate Illiterate

Notes:

Illiterate - cannot read and write

Low Literate - can read and write only

Basic Literate - can read and write with understanding, and can compute

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey

Preliminary Results (Functional Literacy)

Functional Literacy Rate (%)

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Figure 9. Functional Literacy Rate of Population 10 to 64 Years Old

by Region, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey

• CAR recorded the highest functional literacy rate (81.2%).

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• Region IX had the lowest functional literacy rate (59.3%).

Functional Literacy Rate of Population 10 to 64 Years Old by Sex , Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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• Females (74.1%) showed a higher functional literacy rate than males (67.6%).

Figure 10. Functional Literacy Rate of Population 10 to 64 Years Old by Age Group, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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70.8

63.8ʳ

76.6ʳ

78.3ʳ

75.7

72.8

69.5

63.7

57.8

PHILIPPINES

10 - 14

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 39

40 - 49

50 - 59

60 - 64

• Age group 20 to 24 years old recorded the highest functional literacy rate (78.3%).

• Age group 60 to 64 years old had the lowest functional literacy rate (57.8%).

Figure 11. Functional Literacy Rate of Population 10 to 64 Years Old by Highest Grade Completed Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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70.8

10.8

40.3

53.4

71.9

78.9

77.6

84.2

93.2

PHILIPPINES

No grade completed

Early childhood education

Elementary

High School Post-Secondary Short-Cycle

Tertiary

College

Post Baccalaureate

• Individuals who reached or completed Post Baccalaureate (93.2%) recorded the highest functional literacy rate.

• Individuals who have No Grade Completed (10.8%) had the lowest basic literacy rate.

Figure 12. Functional Literacy Rate of Top 10 Provinces, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

25

70.8

87.9

86.8

^82.1 81.9

81.3

80.0

79.2

77.8

77.45 77.43

PHILIPPINES

Benguet

Apayao

Rizal

Romblon

Batangas

Siquijor

Bohol

Bataan

Cavite

South Cotabato

• Functional literacy rate was highest in Benguet (87.9%) among provinces.

Note: Benguet (excluding City of Baguio) and South Cotabato (excluding City of General Santos City)

Figure 13. Functional Literacy Rate of Bottom 10 Provinces, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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70.8

33.2

46.6

51.1

51.8

52.1

52.2

53.9

55.7

56.49 56.50

• Functional literacy rate was lowest in Tawi-Tawi (33.2%) among provinces.

Note: Zamboanga del Sur (excluding City of Zamboanga), Agusan del Norte (excluding City of Butuan, and Lanao del Norte (excluding City of Iligan)

Figure 14. Functional Literacy Rate of Top 10 Highly Urbanized Cities, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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70.8

94.5

89.8

89.12

88.10

^87.3 87.1

86.1

84.6

84.4

83.3

• Functional literacy rate was highest in City of San Juan (94.5%) among highly urbanized cities.

Figure 15. Functional Literacy Rate of Bottom 10 Highly Urbanized Cities, Philippines: 2024 (in percent)

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70.8

63.9

65.9

66.5

67.2

69.6

70.7

71.0

72.6 ^72.7

73.0

• Functional literacy rate was lowest in City of Tacloban (63.9%) among highly urbanized cities.

2G

Figure 16. Basic and Functional Literacy Rates of Population 10 to 64 Years Old

by Age Group, Philippines: 2024

93.1

89.9

95.9

96.1

95.5

94.6

92.9

89.4

84.6

70.8

63.9

76.5

78.2

75.7

72.8

69.5

63.7

57.8

All age group

10-14

15-19

40-49

50-59

60-64

20-24

Basic Literate

25-29 30-39

Functional Literate

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey

• For 10 to 64 years old, basic literacy rate is 93.1%, while functional literacy rate is 70.8%, showing a gap of 22.3 percentage points. This means that:

For every nine (9) individuals aged 10 to 64 years who can read, write, and compute, two (2) individuals have comprehension difficulty.

• The gap between basic literacy and functional literacy was highest in age group 60 to 64 years. (For every three (3) individuals who can read, write and compute, one (1) had

comprehension difficulty.)

Comparison of Literacy Rates among ASEAN Countries

Basic Literacy Rate Among ASEAN Countries

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1) Implementing Individual Test to Assess Literacy

¹ Adult Literacy

• can read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.
• Used by all ASEAN countries except Philippines.

² Basic Literacy for Philippines

a – ability to read and write (Old definition)

b – ability to read, write, and compute (Current definition)

Basic Literacy Rate Among ASEAN Countries

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2) Using Proxy Respondents

¹ Adult Literacy

• can read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.
• Used by all ASEAN countries except Philippines.

² Basic Literacy for Philippines

a – ability to read and write (Old definition)

b – ability to read, write, and compute

(Current definition)

More Statistics to be Generated from the 2024 FLEMMS

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1. Digital ICT Skills on (1) Information and Data Literacy; (2) Communication and Collaboration; (3) Digital Content Creation; (4) Safety and (5) Problem Solving.

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• Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) - Adults’ Proficiency in Literacy, Numeracy and Problem Solving (1 replicate; about 11,000 households; national domain)

Thank you

psa.gov.ph @PSAgovph