AUTHOR=Manuel Jeremiah Paul Giron , Gatcho Al Ryanne Gabonada , Areta Gerry Cabrera 

TITLE=Multilingual reading interventionists for junior high school: a response to the Philippines’ functional literacy gap

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Education

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1646036

DOI=10.3389/feduc.2025.1646036

ISSN=2504-284X

ABSTRACT=Functional illiteracy remains a persistent and complex issue in the Philippines, as underscored by data from the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS). Overlapping challenges such as socioeconomic inequality, linguistic diversity, limited instructional support, and restricted language access continue to hinder literacy efforts despite numerous interventions. This policy brief evaluates current responses and proposes the institutionalization of Multilingual Reading Interventionists (MRIs) in junior high schools as a strategic way forward. Trained in regional languages and grounded in local contexts, MRIs are envisioned as school-based professionals who provide equitable, culturally responsive, and differentiated reading support. To realize this proposal, key policy directions include integrating MRI training into teacher education institutions, aligning continuing professional development systems, and creating formal teaching positions under the Department of Education.