Parents support to education in the Philippines

Joreen & Pierre Varly

The MeridiE association wishes all parents in the Philippines, parent’s substitutes, students, teachers, schools managers, the Department of Education and all the education “family” a happy school year / “Maligayang pagbabalik sa eskwelahan”! (Classes commenced on June 16, 2025, and will conclude on March 31, 2026).

Maligayang pagbabalik sa eskwelahan !

The 2025-2026 Philippine school calendar has reverted to the traditional June-to-March schedule. This decision is outlined in DepEd Order No. 12, Series of 2025, going back to pre-pandemic academic norms. For decades, the June-to-March calendar has been the backbone of the Philippine education system. This schedule balances school days, holidays, and summer breaks. The temporary August–May shift during COVID-19 pandemic was essential to address health protocols and distance learning, but improved conditions now support a return to the traditional calendar for more stable and aligned education.

The summer break this year was put in April to June, an adaptation to the high temperature and climate change. With the support for the communities (Brigada Eskwala), the schools are now neat and tidy, ready for a fresh start.

In this short blog post, we will pay a tribute to all parents in the Philippines and abroad that support their children in their well-being, education, and development. One of the prime motivation of overseas Filipino workers is to support their children education (Parenas, 2006).

Willing to support his child education is a good thing, but how to achieve that in the best possible way ?

The promotion and organization of parental support

This web page from Global Initiative to Support Parents gives a snapshot on regulations, laws, the programmes, and the actors fostering and organizing parental support. In particular, the law of July 28 2022 introduce the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) program.

The Departement of Social Welfare and Development has produced a parenting manual, already in 2001.

The Parent Effectiveness Service Program

The Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) program implements concrete actions to help parents better support their children’s development. Sessions held in every barangay provide practical strategies on topics such as behavior management, child safety, nutrition, and home management.

Additionally, the PES program relies on ongoing research to enhance its effectiveness. Feedback from participants and collected data help adjust and refine interventions.

Local initiatives

For example, in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, there is a Solano Parent And Child Education (SPACE) program that deliver parenting classes. Don’t hesitate to share your stories and local initiatives in the comment and we will integrate them in this blog post, after a quick fact check.

Much research on parental support in the Philippines

There are much research on parental support in the Philippines. Research shows that encouraging reading at home, tutoring in math and spelling and homework support can foster learning. However, the level, nature and quality of parental support is influenced by socioeconomic characteristics. For instance, parents from poorer household as less likely to engage in school events than wealthiest ones but rather focus on the support at home.

Garcia & al (2025) use a a data collection method informed by indigenous Filipino Psychology : pakikipagkwentuhan. “Pakikipagkwentuhan” is a Filipino term that translates to “storytelling” or “chatting” in English. It refers to the act of engaging in casual conversation, sharing stories, or exchanging experiences with others. This social activity is an important part of Filipino cultures.

They collected information from 31 parents of grade 3 students in Caloocan, Metro Manilla.

Parents strategies and barriers

Parents have diverse strategies to support their children and aspirations for their children who depends on their financial resources, time and also perceptions on what other people might think. Lack of financial resources impeach children to be involved in extracurricular activities, that are an important domain in the Philippines.

Some parents also lack confidence and knowledge to support their children with efficacy but can count of the supports of other parents and the community. Parents also reported some negative experiences in schools with teachers.

Recommendations

Finally, Garcia & al (2025) formulates a few recommendations:

• Prioritize needs of poorest and marginalized communities
• Establish clear protocols on students absenteeism and parents conference at school level
• Provide universal school meals

That we complete from our experience with simple recommendations:

• Reduce exposure to Internet, smartphone, social networks, video games and TV
• Have your children read books
• Check your sources and your facts if you help the children homework with Internet
• Increase curiosity of the children
• Participate to school events and parents’ conference as far as possible.

References

Garcia, A.S., Jocson, R.M., de Guzman, M.R.T., Garcia, R. and Aquino, A.K. (2025), Parental Educational Involvement Among Filipino Parents: Exploring Motivators, Facilitators, and Barriers Related to Socioeconomic Status. Psychology in the Schools, 62: 1973-1986. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.23446