Malaya Initiative

09/15/2026

09/12/2026

Philippine students performance in science in PISA 2025

09/12/2026

Filipino students are gaining ground but the distance to learning that equips every child for the future remains urgent.

In the latest PISA results, the Philippines scored 373 in science, up from 356 in 2022 and 357 in 2018. That progress matters. Yet the country remains ranked 77th of 91 participating education systems, 109 points below the OECD average of 482.

Across Southeast Asia, the contrast is stark: Singapore scored 560, Vietnam 457, and the Philippines 373. These figures are not simply rankings, they reflect whether young people have the opportunity to build the scientific literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills they need to thrive.

Improvement is possible. The task now is to turn early gains into sustained progress: stronger foundations in literacy and numeracy, better-supported teachers, learning materials that reach every classroom, and a system that puts every Filipino learner first.

Education is not a side issue. It is the country’s future.

Find out more about Philippines’ PISA 2025 performance on this link: https://malaya.org/blog/philippines-pisa-2025-results/

09/11/2026

The Philippines’ PISA 2025 results show meaningful progress but scores alone do not tell the full story.

Student learning is shaped by the conditions around it: whether learners feel safe, supported, included, and able to focus in school; whether teachers have the resources they need; and whether families and communities can help sustain learning beyond the classroom.

Malaya’s latest article looks beyond rankings to examine why the student environment and well-being must remain central to education reform. Improvement matters but lasting progress requires schools where every learner can thrive.

Read more: https://malaya.org/blog/philippines-pisa-2025-beyond-the-scores/

PISA 2025 asked Filipino 15-year-olds about far more than science, maths and reading. What the OECD country note says about poverty, bullying, AI use, teachers, truancy and mindset — and why it matters for reform.

09/10/2026

The Philippines is gaining ground in PISA 2025. The latest PISA results show that Filipino 15-year-olds improved in all three assessed subjects: reading, mathematics, and science. From 2018 to 2025, Philippine scores rose by:

- 27 points in reading

- 18 points in mathematics

- 16 points in science

The Philippines was one of only eight participating education systems worldwide to register improvement in all three areas. This is real progress and an indication that sustained reforms including curriculum improvements and investments in teacher development can strengthen learning outcomes.

But the broader picture remains urgent.

The Philippines continues to rank near the bottom of participating systems. In science, the country remains approximately 109 points below the OECD average. More importantly, 64.3% of Filipino 15-year-olds scored below Level 2 in science, reading, and mathematics, the threshold the OECD identifies as a baseline for meaningful participation in modern economic life. Only 0.3% reached the highest performance levels in at least one subject.

These findings should move the conversation beyond rankings alone.

The task ahead is not simply to improve average scores. It is to ensure that more Filipino learners develop the foundational and higher-order skills required to navigate work, citizenship, and rapid technological change: critical analysis, clear communication, creative problem-solving, and the confidence to engage with complex ideas.

At Malaya Initiative Foundation, we view education as a pathway to freedom: the freedom to think clearly, express oneself effectively, and participate meaningfully in society. PISA 2025 provides evidence of progress. It also reinforces the need for focused, long-term action to close persistent learning gaps and expand opportunity for every Filipino child.

Read Malaya Initiative’s full analysis and explore the interactive data:
https://malaya.org/blog/philippines-pisa-2025-results/

09/01/2026

Join Malaya Initiative today in exploring how can we make those flows more reciprocal, sustainable, and beneficial to both sides during the HPBEC Talk Story Session:

Hawaiʻi and the Philippines: Strengthening Bilateral Ties via Education, Social Services and Cultural Values
📅 Tuesday, September 1 | 4:00 p.m. Hawaiʻi
📅 Wednesday, September 2 | 10:00 a.m. Philippines
💻 Via Zoom | Live-streamed and recorded

Moderated by Andrea Caymo-Kauhanen, Executive Director of Malaya Initiative, the conversation brings together perspectives from education, teacher recruitment, business, philanthropy, and community service.

At the heart of the discussion is a simple but important question:
The Philippines invests in educating and developing people who go on to contribute to Hawaiʻi. Hawaiʻi, in turn, sends people, experience, philanthropy, and resources back to the Philippines. What would it take to make those two-way exchanges stronger so that Hawaiʻi benefits from a stronger Philippines, while the Philippines benefits from the people and opportunities its education system has helped produce?

We’ll explore:
- How Filipino teachers contribute to Hawaiʻi beyond simply filling vacancies?
- How international teacher exchanges can strengthen both education systems?
- How returning teachers can bring knowledge and experience back to the Philippines?
- How U.S.-based philanthropy can strengthen the communities and education systems that help develop its future workforce?
- And ultimately, what Hawaiʻi gains when the Philippines gains?

We invite educators, policymakers, business leaders, philanthropists, community organizations, Filipino-American leaders, and stakeholders in both Hawaiʻi and the Philippines to join this conversation and help imagine a more reciprocal model of exchange.

Join us and be part of the conversation. Register for free: https://bit.ly/hpbecsept2026

The discussions will also explore the differences and similarities in the delivery of services (educational, social or humanitarian services) in Hawai‘i vs the Philippines. Another thread of discussion are preparations for the Filipino teachers as they anticipate returning home once their J-1 visa...

08/29/2026

Malaya Initiative is proud to support Ayala Foundation’s CENTEX Digital Education programme alongside Alagang Ayala, Connext Global Solutions, and Globe. High Touch, High Tech is built on a simple idea: technology should support meaningful teaching, never replace it.

When teachers are given the space to learn from one another, every learner benefits.

Congratulations to the CENTEX team and to every teacher who showed up. 👏

This is how systems change: institutions working together, not alone. If your organisation is thinking about how to invest in Philippine education, we’d like to hear from you — visit www.malaya.org or send us a message [email protected].

07/13/2026

The Philippine IT-BPM sector has become one of the country's most important economic drivers—creating millions of jobs, attracting global investment, and positioning the Philippines as a global leader in business services. As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms how work is designed, delivered, and managed, the industry's long-term competitiveness will increasingly depend on its ability to develop leaders who can adapt, innovate, and build resilient organizations.

While AI is reshaping processes and automating routine work, it is also increasing the importance of distinctly human capabilities—critical thinking, sound judgment, communication, coaching, ethical leadership, and the ability to lead teams through change. Developing these capabilities at every level of management is essential to ensuring that the Philippine workforce remains globally competitive and resilient.

At Malaya Initiative Foundation, we believe education and workforce development programs must evolve alongside the changing needs of industry. Rather than designing programs based on assumptions, we want to hear directly from the people leading the sector.

That's why we've launched the IT-BPM Workforce Management Survey.

The survey explores:

- Management talent availability and hiring challenges
- Leadership and management skill gaps
- Current workforce development practices
- How education can better prepare future managers and leaders
- Priorities for strengthening the Philippine leadership pipeline in an AI-enabled economy

The insights gathered will help Malaya design education and capacity-building initiatives that are responsive to the evolving needs of the IT-BPM industry. The findings will also contribute to a broader dialogue among employers, educators, and policymakers on how the Philippines can develop a future-ready workforce—one that combines technological capability with strong leadership and management skills.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Celeste Ilagan and Jeanette Carrillo of IBPAP, as well as JL Botor and Florence Ann de Castro of HIMAP, for generously sharing their early insights during the development of this survey.

This is only the beginning. We look forward to engaging more companies, industry associations, educational institutions, and workforce development partners as we work together to strengthen the leadership capabilities and talent resilience that will define the next chapter of the Philippine IT-BPM industry's success.

If you are a CEO, business leader, HR executive, operations leader, or learning and development professional in the IT-BPM sector, we invite you to share your perspective.

Your insights today can help shape the leaders of tomorrow.

📋 Take the 10-minute survey: bit.ly/MalayaSurvey

07/03/2026

At Malaya Initiative, our mission is simple: support the development of critical thinking, communication, and civic engagment of the youth through education. 📚✨

We believe that when Filipino educators are given the opportunity to grow, learn, and exchange knowledge on a global stage, they don’t just benefit themselves — they bring that growth home. That’s why we’re proud to support the J-1 Teacher Program for educators from the Philippines coming to teach in Hawaii’s schools.

Here’s why this matters to us:

🔹 Global exposure, local impact — J-1 teachers gain hands-on experience with new teaching methods, classroom technologies, and student engagement strategies that they can bring back to Philippine classrooms.

🔹 Bridging two education systems — This exchange strengthens ties between the U.S. and Philippine education communities, creating lasting partnerships that benefit both sides.

🔹 Investing in the people who shape our future — Teachers are at the heart of solving the Philippine learning crisis. By investing in their growth today, we’re investing in stronger classrooms back home tomorrow.

🔹 Community and belonging — Moving to a new country to teach is no small feat. We want every J-1 teacher to feel supported, welcomed, and part of a community — because that support system makes all the difference in their experience and success.

This program is a reflection of what we do best: connecting people, opportunity, and education across borders. 🌏🤝

Mahalo to Hawai’i Department of Education, Teachers Lounge, and community partners for making this exchange possible, and to every J-1 teacher taking this leap — we’re honored to walk this journey with you. 💛

06/17/2026

Last month, our Executive Director had the opportunity to visit the Office of American Affairs of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and briefly share Malaya's vision for activating the Filipino-American community as a meaningful force for education development back home. Over 4 million Filipinos call the Americas home — in the United States, Canada, and beyond. They are professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, and leaders. And many of them carry a quiet, enduring question: How do I give back?

The conversation centered on a simple but powerful premise: the diaspora is not just a source of remittances. It is a reservoir of expertise, networks, mentorship, and philanthropic capacity and when that energy is channeled toward education, it compounds in ways that outlast any single donation.

Malaya Initiative Foundation is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit working at the intersection of diaspora engagement and Philippine education and workforce development. Our programs focus on building critical thinking skills, strengthening the IT-BPM talent pipeline, and supporting teacher development - because we believe the freedom that education provides should be available to every Filipino child.

We are now actively building our network of Filipino-American partners, donors, and advocates across the Americas and we would love to hear from you.
Whether you are an individual who wants to support a school, a professional who wants to mentor, or an organization looking for a credible Philippine education partner in the U.S. — Malaya is that bridge.

📩 Reach out to us at [email protected] or send us a message here. Let's talk about how your story, your expertise, and your love for the Philippines can become part of something bigger.

Join our initiative: Kalayaan sa pamamagitan ng edukasyon. Freedom through education.