Pasay, San Juan post highest literacy rates among HUCs
Philippine Statistics Authority
MANILA, Philippines — The cities of Pasay and San Juan have recorded the highest literacy rates among highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the country, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.
READ: PSA study: 19M senior high school grads ‘functional illiterate’
In its second report on the results of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), PSA said Pasay City recorded the highest basic literacy rate across all HUCs in the Philippines.
“Among HUCs, Pasay City recorded the highest basic literacy rate in the country at 96.2 percent. This translates to around 96 out of 100 individuals 5 years old and over in the city can read, write, and compute,” said PSA.
PSA defined basic literacy 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.
Completing the top 10 HUCs with the highest basic literacy are are as follows:
- City of Cagayan de Oro (96.1 percent)
- City of San Juan (95.50 percent)
- City of Pasig (95.50 percent)
- City of Mandaue (95.2 percent)
- Pateros (95.1 percent)
- City of Olongapo (94.9 percent)
- City of Cebu (94.7 percent)
- City of Taguig (94.6 percent)
- City of Makati (94.3 percent)
Meanwhile, in terms of functional literacy, PSA said San Juan City had the highest rate.
“On functional literacy, City of San Juan recorded the highest functional literacy rate at 94.5 percent or about 95 out of 100 individuals in the city who can read, write, compute, and comprehend,” said PSA.
According to PSA, 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 comprehsion skills,” such as integrating two or more pieces of information and making inferences based on given information.
PSA said completing the top 10 HUCs with highest functional literacy are as follows:
- City of Baguio (89.8 percent)
- City of Pasig (89.1 percent)
- Pateros (88.1 percent)
- City of Makati (87.3 percent)
- City of Las Piñas (87.1 percent)
- City of Taguig (86.1 percent)
- City of Mandaluyong (84.6 percent)
- City of Cagayan de Oro (84.4 percent)
- City of Navotas (83.3 percent)
For his part, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said their city’s high functional literate rate is a testament to how the local government prioritizes the needs of its citizens.
“That’s why the local government of San Juan is working hard to give approrpiate support to our students and teachers like free gadgets, free fiber optic internet connection to schools and their homes, 55-inch smart TV in every classroom, free uniforms and customized rubber shoes, emergency go bags, modern facilities, and financial assistance as well as incentives,” he said in Filipino in a Facebook post.
READ: PSA: Higher basic, functional literacy seen on Filipinos who finished HS
“We believe that a good education would pave the way for children in San Juan to have a better life,” he added in Filipino. /jpv
