THE CHALLENGE

The Philippines faces an education emergency

91% of Filipino 10-year-olds cannot read proficiently. The country ranks 77th of 81 nations in PISA. This is the crisis Malaya Initiative Foundation exists to help solve.

91%
of children cannot read and understand a simple text by age 10
World Bank Learning Poverty Index
77th of 81
PISA ranking — math scores of 355 vs. OECD average of 472
PISA 2022 Assessment
5.5 yrs
learning lag behind global peers in key subject areas
PISA 2022
39%
skills mismatch — workers in jobs requiring different education levels
EDCOM II Report, 2026
Bottom 4
globally in creative thinking — the skill most resistant to AI automation
PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Assessment
63rd of 67
nations in global talent competitiveness rankings
Global Talent Competitiveness Index

Understanding the scale of the problem

Filipino students are 5–6 years behind global peers in learning outcomes. The country ranks in the bottom 4 globally for creative thinking — the very skill most resistant to AI automation and most essential for 21st-century economic participation.

This crisis does not stay in the classroom. It flows directly into the workforce: a 39% skills mismatch threatens the $38 billion BPO industry that employs millions of Filipinos. The Philippines ranks 63rd of 67 nations in global talent competitiveness.

The opportunity within the crisis

Government reforms through MATATAG and EDCOM II are mobilizing. Industry leaders are demanding change. What is missing is focused investment in the higher-order skills — critical thinking, clear communication, civic participation — that transform students into globally competitive workers and engaged citizens.

That gap is exactly where Malaya Initiative Foundation focuses.

Source: Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) Report (January 2026)

WHAT MALAYA IS DOING

Malaya Initiative Foundation focuses specifically on critical thinking and communication — the higher-order skills where the Philippines ranks in the bottom 4 globally and where few organizations currently invest.

Our Approach →

Stay updated on our journey

Quarterly updates on our progress, stories from the field, and ways to get involved.