VZCZCXRO5444
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #3991/01 2640620
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 210620Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3066
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 003991 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PEACE CORPS, USAID 
FOR ECA, EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EPET PGOV EAID SCUL RP
SUBJECT: EDUCATION ON THE MOVE WITH INCREASED FUNDING AND NEW 
INITIATIVES 
 
REF: MANILA 03561, MANILA 03656 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (U) As interest in education reform and English language training 
continues to make headlines, the Ambassador called on Secretary of 
Education Jesli Lapus September 15.  The Secretary reported on his 
ambitious plans to revitalize the deteriorating education system by 
taking advantage of increased national budgets, partnerships with 
the private sector, and U.S. assistance, especially in English 
language education.   End Summary. 
 
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Decline in Quality of Education 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In a meeting with Ambassador, USAID Director, Peace Corps 
Director, and Public Affairs Officer on September 15, Jesli Lapus, 
Secretary of Education, discussed factors contributing to the 
 
SIPDIS 
current problems in the Philippine  education system.  He stated 
that the education system was strong until the last decade, when the 
government discontinued the National College Entrance Examination 
(NCEE).  As a result, many students enter the tertiary education 
system eager to obtain a college degree but ill-prepared for the 
academic requirements.  Only two percent of fourth year high school 
students are prepared to enter college.  Diploma mills have 
proliferated, some with abysmal passing rates on professional 
licensure examinations.  The increased status of college degrees has 
created a growing bias against technical and vocational education 
and 600,000 technical jobs are currently unfilled.  Fourteen percent 
of all students are without classrooms and twenty percent are 
without desks. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Secretary Lapus cited mismatches in teacher competencies, 
as many teachers do not hold degrees in the subjects they are 
teaching.  Consequently massive re-training of teachers is needed. 
Secretary Lapus also expressed concern about the number of long-term 
 
SIPDIS 
civil service tenured employees in the Department of Education, 
particularly on his staff.  He has brought in key staff from Land 
Bank of the Philippines, where he was CEO during the 1990s. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
Initiatives to Improve the Philippine Education System 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶4. (U) Secretary Lapus reiterated his previous request for USG 
assistance with the school feeding programs and electrification 
(Reftel).  Ambassador noted that the USDA PL-480 program is 
providing limited support for school feeding and would look into 
expanding this support.  USAID Director also noted that USAID is 
providing extensive support for rural electrification.  Ambassador 
recommended that Peace Corps Volunteers be permitted to work in 
full-time teaching and teacher training jobs.  The Secretary 
identified a point of contact in the Department of Education from 
which Peace Corps can receive information and guidance.  Ambassador 
also highlighted USAID programs in Mindanao, which include providing 
television, radio, and computers for teaching science math and 
English; pre-employment skills training; providing audiotapes and 
books for English language teaching and learning; and supplying 
textbooks to schools.  Public Affairs Officer also noted that there 
are currently two English Language Fellows in the Philippines during 
2006-2007, one based at the Department of Education providing 
teacher training and curriculum development and one at the 
Philippine Normal University teaching future English teachers. 
 
¶5. (U) Lapus said his Department is pursuing private sector support 
by revitalizing its "Adopt-a-School" program, originally established 
in 1998.  This program allows private firms to donate funds and 
receive tax incentives of up to 150 percent.  The Department has 
established packages with price lists, including school buildings, 
teacher scholarships, school supplies, computer and science 
laboratory equipment, and school feeding programs.  Secretary Lapus 
secured 600,000 pesos (USD 11,970) from the Rotary Club of Manila 
and will be asking the European Chamber of Commerce of the 
Philippines to help match companies with schools.  Ambassador said 
the Embassy would work with the American Chamber of Commerce to 
enhance awareness of this program. 
 
¶6. (U) In an innovative effort to improve mastery of the English 
language, Secretary Lapus is working with Philippine radio stations 
to broadcast the British Broadcasting Company's "English by Radio" 
program.  The program teaches English grammar and the Department 
intends to provide radios to all schools so students and teachers 
can listen to the program.  Secretary Lapus also seeks to overcome 
 
MANILA 00003991  002 OF 002 
 
 
the bias against technical and vocational education by incorporating 
dual academic and technical curricula in schools and conferring 
technical certificates to graduates. 
 
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Recent Successes 
---------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Secretary Lapus successfully lobbied the House of 
Representatives to add 9.5 billion pesos (USD 183 million) to the 
2006 supplemental budget for the Department of Education.  Secretary 
Lapus reported that the Department's 2007 budget will include a ten 
percent increase.  The Chinese government has promised to extend 
loans for the construction of 10,000 classrooms, and Secretary Lapus 
said he was traveling to China this weekend to attend meetings on 
education. 
 
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Comment: A Mover in a Key Department 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (U) On the heels of his successes as Chairman of the House Ways 
and Means Committee, Secretary Lapus has managed to increase funding 
for the Department's budget after less than two months on the job. 
He is aggressively pursuing additional private support.  Secretary 
Lapus still faces the challenges of managing his unwieldy 
organization but his actions thus far demonstrate that he has the 
potential to make a valuable contribution in education. 
 
KENNEY