Pia Cayetano bill seeks to regain students' English proficiency

Senator Pia Cayetano has filed a bill that seeks to produce “well-rounded and competitive” Filipino graduates who can keep pace amid the rapidly changing demands of industries and the knowledge-based global economy.

Dubbed the proposed “Education Roadmap Act,” Cayetano said the bill primarily aims to help Filipino students restrengthen their English proficiency which she said they are “fast losing”.

"Aside from acquiring the so-called 'four Cs' of 21st Century skills - namely, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity - this bill is primarily aimed to help our students regain our edge in English proficiency, which we are fast losing," Cayetano said.

"English proficiency is a vital skill that has made Filipino workers and professionals in demand abroad, and has prompted multinational companies to invest heavily in the country's IT-Business Process Management industry," she added.

Among her other priority legislations are the Sustainability-Based Budgeting Act, Sports Excellence Roadmap Act, Increasing the Minimum Age of Access to Tobacco at 21 Years Old Act, and Water Sustainability Act.

The senator's bills also include Philippine Nursing Act amendments, Sustainable Cities and Communities Act, Safe Pathways Network Act, and Sustainable Transportation Act.

Cayetano likewise revived a bill that would establish the country’s own Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"These bills are forward-looking and aim to prepare our nation better for the challenges ahead, while never losing sight of our sustainable development goals," she said.

"The health measures were drawn from our hard-earned lessons in the last two years in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to further strengthen our healthcare system to provide services for our people," she added.—LDF, GMA News