The Jolly Phonics Philippines Schools and Teachers Forum Manifesto:

A National Call for Early Literacy Empowerment in the Philippines

Issued by the Jolly Phonics-Philippines Schools and Teachers Forum
Hosted by Scuola Bambini dei Santa Barbara Inc., Sta. Barbara, Iloilo

We Believe

• That every Filipino child has the right to read with confidence, joy, and comprehension.
• That early-grade literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and a thriving nation.
• That English language education must start not with memorization, but with understanding how language works—sound by sound, word by word.

We Acknowledge

• That the Department of Education has been urged to provide alternative approaches that strengthen reading comprehension, beyond traditional rote memorization methods (OneNews.PH, 2025).
• That over 90% of Filipino 10-year-olds cannot read and comprehend simple English text (World Bank, 2022).
• That our learners ranked lowest among 79 countries in reading proficiency (PISA, 2019).
• That current methods—rooted in rote learning and sight reading—are failing to develop functional English literacy.
• That many teachers, especially in rural and underserved communities, are under-equipped to teach phonics effectively.
• That the Philippines is facing an education crisis, with up to 18 million graduates considered functionally illiterate due to inadequate reading, writing, and comprehension skills (South China Morning Post).

We Commit

• To bring Jolly Phonics—an evidence-based, multi-sensory, and child-centered literacy approach—to classrooms across the Philippines.
• To empower teachers with the skills, tools, and confidence to teach reading through sound-letter mastery.
• To co-create a nationwide community of practice where schools, educators, and families unite for literacy excellence.

We Will Act

• By conducting regular Teacher Certification Programs and hands-on workshops.
• By developing and distributing localized phonics-based materials aligned with DepEd standards.
• By hosting the National Literacy Summit and forming regional learning circles.
• By accrediting Jolly Phonics Schools and celebrating local literacy champions.

We Recognize

• Jolly Phonics Coaches who mentor peers, demonstrate exemplary practice, and uplift teacher capacity in their communities.
• Jolly Phonics Ambassadors who champion literacy advocacy, extend the vision of the Forum, and lead community engagement.

We Call On

• DepEd and LGUs to integrate phonics-based literacy into public education policy.
• School leaders to adopt Jolly Phonics as a transformative approach to early reading.
• Donors, NGOs, and the private sector to partner with us in scaling training, resources, and outreach.

We will not wait. The future of our children—and our country—depends on how well they read today.
Let this be our shared declaration: the literacy revolution starts now, and it starts with us.