CAR tops functional literacy rate with 81.2% – PSA

MANILA, Philippines — The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has the highest functional literacy rate in the country with 81.2 percent, beating the National Capital Region’s 79.9 percent, according to the latest report of the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The PSA, in its third report on the results of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey or FLEMMS, also listed in the Top 10 by region Calabarzon with 77.3 percent, Central Luzon (73 percent), Mimaropa (70.7), Western Visayas (70.6), Northern Mindanao (70), Cagayan Valley (69.4), Central Visayas (67.6) and Bicol (67).

PSA undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa said the report presents the estimates and rates of basic and functional literacy by highest grade completed at the national and regional levels.

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

In terms of highly urbanized centers (HUCs) and provinces, the PSA said San Juan City topped the functional literacy rate with 94.5 percent.

Following San Juan are Baguio City with 89.8 percent, Pasig (89 percent), Pateros (88.1), Benguet (87.9), Makati (87.3), Las Piñas (87.1), Apayao (86.8), Taguig (86.1) and Mandaluyong (84.6).

By region, Central Luzon topped the highest basic literacy rate with 92.8 percent, followed by CAR (92.7 percent), Calabarzon (92.6), Central Visayas (92.2), National Capital Region (92), Northern Mindanao (90.8), Davao Region (90.3), Ilocos (89.9), Western Visayas (89.6) and Cagayan Valley (89.5).

For HUCs and provinces, Pasay City ranked first in basic literacy with 96.2 percent.

Also included in the Top 10 list are Cagayan de Oro City with 96.1 percent, San Juan (95.5), Pasig (95.5), Apayao and Mandaue City (95.2), Pateros (95.1), Benguet (94.9), Olongapo City (94.9) and Cebu City (94.7).

“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. Basic literacy rate is computed for individuals five years old and over, while functional literacy rate is computed for individuals 10 to 64 years old,” Mapa said.

Mapa said the 2024 FLEMMS gathered other data related to education, particularly the highest grade completed by an individual.