The Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) is a household-based nationwide survey conducted every five (5) years in accordance with the Designation of Statistical Activities that will Generate Critical Data for Decision-making of the Government and the Private Sector (Executive Order No. 352 of 1996). The 2024 FLEMMS is the seventh in the series of literacy surveys in the country starting in 1989. It was last conducted in 2019. The FLEMMS presents comprehensive statistics on the latest status of literacy, education, and mass media exposure of Filipinos. it provides a quantitative framework that will serve as basis in the formulation of policies and programs on the improvement of literacy and education status of the population.

The 2024 FLEMMS adopted the revised operational definition and methodology in estimating basic and functional literacy in the Philippines as approved by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Board through Resolution No. 13, Series of 2024., wherein Basic Literacy is defined as the ability of a person to read and write a simple message in any language or dialect with understanding, and to compute or perform basic mathematical operations; while Functional Literacy is the ability of a person to read, write, compute and comprehend. 

CAR is top region with highest functional literacy rate

In 2024, the functional literacy rate of Filipinos aged 10 years and over was at 70.8% or about 60.2 million. This means that 7 out of 10 Filipinos aged 10 years and over can read, write, compute, and comprehend.

In the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 81.2% of the estimated 1.4 million individuals 10 years old and over were functionally literate. This figure was 10.5 percentage points higher than the national rate.  This is translated to about 1.1 million individuals in the Cordillera who can read, write, compute, and comprehend.

CAR ranked first among the regions with the highest functional literacy rate, followed by NCR (79,9%), and Region IV-A (77.3%). Meanwhile, Region IX (59.3%) recorded the lowest functional literacy rate among the regions (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Functional Literacy Rate by Region, Philippines: 2024

Baguio City ranked first among CAR provinces and HUC in CAR with the highest functional literacy rate

By province and highly urbanized city (HUC) in CAR, Baguio City (89.8%) had the highest functional literacy rate in 2024, followed by the province of Benguet (87.9%) and Apayao (86.8%). Meanwhile, the province of Kalinga had the lowest functional literacy rate at 69.0% (Figure 2).

In addition, the province of Benguet ranked first among all provinces in the country in terms of functional literacy rate, followed by the provinces of Apayao and Rizal (82.1%).

The City of Baguio also ranked second with the highest functional literacy rate among highly urbanized cities in the country, following the City of San Juan (94.5%). The City of Pasig ranked third at 89.1%.

Figure 2. Functional Literacy Rate by Province/HUC, CAR: 2024

Females have higher functional literacy rate compared to males

In terms of sex, females in the country exhibited a higher functional literacy rate with 74.1% compared to the rate of 67.6% among males (Figure 3). The same was observed among individuals 10 years old and over in CAR in 2024, wherein females showed a higher functional literacy rate at 84.4%% compared to males of the same age range at 78.1%.

Figure 3. Functional Literacy Rate of Population 10 Years Old and Over 
by Sex, Philippines and CAR: 2024

Individuals aged 20 to 24 years old have highest functional literacy

By age group, functional literacy rate was highest among the age group 20 to 24 years old individuals in CAR at 89.0%, followed by the age group 15 to 19 years old at 86.1%, and 25 to 29 years old at 85.4% (Figure 4).

The age group 60 years old and over or the oldest among the age groups old had the lowest functional literacy at 65.6%.

Figure 4. Functional Literacy Rate of Population 10 Years Old and Over 
by Age Group, Both Sexes, CAR: 2024

Individuals with college level or higher education have highest functional literacy

In terms of the highest grade completed, individuals in CAR who reached or completed college level or higher recorded the highest functional literacy rate at 91.2%, followed by those who reached or completed post-secondary non-tertiary (88.3%) and high school (82.1%) education (Figure 5).

Meanwhile, individuals who had no grade completed or with early childhood education had the lowest functional literacy rate at 17.5%.

Figure 5. Functional Literacy Rate of Population 10 Years Old and Over
by Highest Grade Completed, CAR: 2024

(SGD)
VILLAFE P. ALIBUYOG
Regional Director

Designation    Initials    Date
CSS                 AFRBJ     30 June 2025
SS II                JRB         03 June 2025

Technical Notes

Basic literacy - the ability of a person to read and write a simple message in any language or dialect with understanding, and to compute or perform basic mathematical operations.

Functional literacy - the ability of a person to read, write, compute, and comprehend. In addition to the basic literacy skills, functional literacy includes a higher level of comprehension skills, such as integrating two or more pieces of information and making inferences based on the given information.

Basic Literate - those who can read, write and compute.

Functional Literate - those who can read, write, compute and comprehend.

Highest Grade Completed – the highest grade or year completed in school, college or university.