2 Zamboanga students can now read, thanks to DepEd’s BBMP
Two grade school students, Shammira and Britanny, both from Zamboanga, can now read, thanks to the Department of Education’s Bawa’t Bata Makakabasa program, and Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the reading program will be launched at the national level. Arnel Tacson/好色先生TV
MANILA, Philippines — Before, eight-year-old Shammira feared reading.
But that’s no longer the case today, because she has already learned how to syllabicate sentences, even in the English language.
An elementary student in Zamboanga, Shammira, said that one of her fears in life was to read, especially in English. But upon a few weeks of learning and practicing, she has already conquered her fear.
“Dati natatakot ako… ngayon kaya ko na magbasa ng English,” Shammira was quoted as saying in a press release by the Department of Education (DepEd).
(Before, I was afraid… now I can already read in English.)
Also in Zamboanga goes Brittany, a Grade 3 student in Campo Uno Indigenous People Elementary School.
Just like Shammira, Brittany said that she felt frustrated every time she tried to read every word in a textbook. But now, she can already smile. She has learned.
READ: PSA: Higher basic, functional literacy seen in Filipinos who finished HS
“Ngayon, palagi na akong naka-smile… marunong na ako magbasa,” Brittany said.
(Now, I can always smile… I can now read.)
Shammira and Brittany were among the students in Zamboanga who have benefited so far from DepEd’s community-driven initiative, “Bawat Bata Makababasa Program” (BBMP).
BBMP, as shared by DepEd in a statement, was launched on May 8 in the Zamboanga region. It targets non-reader students from Grades 1 to 3 through daily 20-minute reading sessions.
The program focuses on phonics-based instruction, supported by DepEd-developed workbooks and lesson guides.
Noting the positive impacts of the BBMP, for instance, on Shammira and Britanny, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said that the department is planning to launch the program at the national level.
“BBMP proves that community-based interventions work. When teachers, families, and local leaders come together, our learners thrive,” Angara said.
READ: DepEd: No additional year for senior high school
“BBMP is not a silver bullet, but it is a strong foundation. As we gather feedback and data from the field, we’ll continue refining the program and prepare for possible national rollout,” he added.
BBMP, according to DepEd, is part of its larger academic recovery strategy, complementing the Literacy Remediation Program, Summer Remedial Classes, and 2025 Learning Camp.
“Over 7,000 trained volunteers now conduct sessions across Zamboanga Peninsula, helping transform early-grade learners from non-readers into confident readers,” DepEd said./coa
