In the past,
household
backyards
were planted
with food
crops; most
families
have poultry
and
livestock;
tinagak
making and
twining of
abaca were
daily
activities;
projects in
work
education
transformed
indigenous
materials
into
handicrafts;
schoolchildren
carried less
books to and
from school;
high school
students
created
items from
wood and
other native
materials;
high school
students
were trained
in
agriculture
and
homemaking;
most high
school
graduates
were skilled
workers.
This
scenario was
gradually
overtaken by
changes in
the way of
life of most
families and
individuals,
in the
educational
system; in
employment
trends; size
of
landholdings;
deterioration
of natural
resources;
science and
technology;
and
urbanization.
The number
of poor
Bicolano
families in
2006 reached
422,278 or
approximately
41.8 percent
of total
number of
families,
making Bicol
the fourth
poorest
region in
the country.
In terms of
total
population,
more than
half (51.1
percent) of
Bicolanos
were living
below the
annual per
capita
poverty
threshold of
P15,015.
About 25.5
percent of
Bicolanos
experienced
hunger, with
most
families
barely
meeting the
annual per
capita food
threshold of
P10,174.
Eradicating
poverty has
been the aim
of
government
programs and
projects,
but still
the number
of poor
families
grew over
the years.
Past
interventions
have not
improved the
quality of
life of more
than half of
the
population.
Most
Bicolanos
are poorly
educated and
socially
indifferent.
There is a
need to make
Bicolanos
recognize
that people
are not only
beneficiaries
but
participants
to the
development
process. The
contribution
of Bicolanos
to the
economy and
sustained
development
of the
region must
be
increased.
The level
and pace of
Bicol’s
development
shall depend
on the
strength of
its human
resources.
The region
needs
Bicolanos
who can
manage and
utilize
natural
resources.
They have to
be able to
adjust to
changes in
the demand
for manpower
skills given
trends in
the domestic
and global
economy. The
educational
system must
be
overhauled
to make
Bicolanos
more
educated,
more
productive,
and more
civic minded
citizens.
In the next
ten years,
it is
envisioned
that every
child of
school going
age is in
school, all
families
have
graduates in
tertiary
education,
and at least
two family
members are
gainfully
employed.
Functional
literacy,
technical
competence,
and good
citizenship
shall be the
main goals
of
education.
Children
aged seven
to thirteen
shall have
high degree
of
competence
in reading,
writing, and
mathematics.
Each child
will be able
to write
legibly and
sensibly.
Graduates in
basic
education
will be
equipped
with basic
skills in
agriculture,
arts and
trades, and
entrepreneurship.
Graduates of
tertiary
education
are ready
for
professional
work and
shall be
globally
competitive.
Workers who
are
displaced
due to
changing
needs of
employers
should be
able to
adapt skills
needed by
the labor
market
through a
continuing
education
program.
Communities
are
confident
and able to
manage
resources,
disaster
risks, and
security.
The above
scenario
shall be
achieved by
overhauling
the
educational
system. A 12
years basic
education
curriculum
shall be
adopted to
make all
Bicolanos
functionally
literate,
technically
competent,
and imbued
with values,
personal
habits, and
attitude
that make
good and
civic minded
citizens.
Support to
tertiary
education
courses
shall be
focused on
the drivers
of regional
economic
growth.
Vocational
and
technical
skills shall
be further
honed in
advance
training
centers.
Research and
development
skills shall
be improved.
The trade
school
system shall
be revived.
Subjects in
tertiary
education
shall be
focused on
the training
of students
as
technicians
and
professionals.
There will
be no
general
education
subjects at
the tertiary
level to
improve
professional
and
technical
skills.
Information
and
communication
technology (ICT)
subjects
shall be
incorporated
at all
levels.
Linkages
shall be
established
to produce
graduates
who are
ready to
manage or
work in
industries.
Schools and
companies
shall
conduct
apprenticeship
programs in
vocational,
technical,
and
professional
schools.
State
universities
shall no
longer be
funded by
the national
government.
They shall
charge
commercially
competitive
fees and
shall be
fully
administratively
autonomous.
The local
governments
shall
subsidize
the costs of
compulsory
basic
education.
Civil
society and
the business
sector shall
participate
in
strengthening
human
resources.
Barangays
and
communities
shall
establish
community
learning
centers for
schoolchildren.
Continuous
retooling of
the working
age group
shall be
promoted to
match their
skills with
industry
demands. The
business
sector shall
prescribe
the skills
needed in
business and
industry.
