Senator Gatchalian urges for stronger early childhood education
Lopez Link Newsletter - April 2025 Issue
Senator Gatchalian (middle), joined by his staff and the KCFI team
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Co-Chair of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the country’s early childhood development and education. This was his keynote when he visited KCFI at its headquarters in Rockwell Tower 3 in Ortigas Center recently.
Quoting from the EDCOM 2 Year 2 Report, Senator Gatchalian highlighted the following concerns:
Thousands of barangays still lack Child Development Centers (CDCs)
Many parents do not send their children out for early childhood education
There is currently no certification program for Child Development Teachers (CDTs)
Malnutrition remains a pressing issue, with only 25% of infants nationwide meeting the recommended energy intake, and 1 in 4 children under five suffer from stunting
Grade 3 pupils are currently 2.5 years behind compared to what they should be learning, an increase of 1.5 years in the learning gap prior to the pandemic
On average, there are 20 school day cancellations per school year due to typhoons and extreme heat
Senator Gatchalian presenting the key findings of the EDCOM 2 Year 2 Report
Despite these challenges, Senator Gatchalian remains optimistic that the private sector can support government efforts in finding and developing solutions, and suggested that the government can leverage on KCFI’s multimedia resources and training programs for early childhood development and foundational education.
The LEEP Reading training program in Las Piñas City engaged 80 teachers from 10 elementary schools
80 elementary grade teachers in Las Piñas City learned to better teach reading through KCFI’s Learning Effectively through Enhanced and Evidence-based Pedagogies in Reading (LEEP Reading) teacher training program, made possible through its partnership with Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc. (PGAI). LEEP Reading equips teachers with essential skills and knowledge Channel learning resources to support young learners in developing reading proficiency in both English and Filipino.
The KCFI-EDC Terms of Reference signing was attended by Rina Lopez (KCFI President and Executive Director), Edric Calma (KCFI Vice President), Atty. Allan Barcena (EDC Assistant Vice President and Head of Corporate Support Functions), and Roniño Gibe (EDC Head of Corporate Relations)
Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and KCFI are producing 2 video lessons and 9 short animated clips as part of the awareness campaign for EDC’s Flagship Species Initiative (FSI) on conserving native plant and animal species found in EDC’s geothermal and wind project sites. The videos will emphasize the significance of biodiversity, the role these species play in supporting the ecosystem, and EDC’s conservation efforts.
KCFI Vice President Edric Calma encouraging cable operators to carry the Knowledge Channel and help address the country’s problems in basic education
KCFI Vice President Edric Calma encouraged the country’s cable operators to carry the Knowledge Channel and provide free access to the latter’s services to public schools in their franchise areas to help address the country’s problems in basic education. Speaking at the Philippine Tech Show 2025, Calma showcased how KCFI’s content offerings for ECD to K-12 support more effective teaching and learning. Organized by the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association (PCTA), the Philippine Tech Show gathered industry leaders and professionals from cable and direct-to-home satellite operators and information technology services to foster collaboration and innovation. KCFI’s previous partnerships with PCTA members have provided public schools and communities with access to the Knowledge Channel.
KCFI Vice President Edric Calma receiving the certificate of recognition for KCFI’s efforts and co-mounting the 2024 National Teachers’ Month celebration
KCFI continues to garner recognition. KCFI was awarded as an Outstanding Industry Partner for the third consecutive year by iACADEMY. The National Teachers’ Month Coordinating Council (NTMCC), for its part, awarded KCFI with a certificate of recognition for the latter’s efforts at supporting teachers and co-mounting the 2024 National Teachers’ Month.
Support the Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. today by donating through BPI Acct. No. 0201-0409-14 or GCash via QR. Kindly email a copy of the deposit slip to info@knowledgechannel.org for recording purposes. For more details on how to donate Knowledge Channel content to public CDCs and schools, contact Ms. Liberty Reyes, Resource Mobilization Manager, at liberty.reyes@knowledgechannel.org.
For Knowledge Channel Foundation on Lopez Link - April 2025.