Baguio City Councilor candidate demands SEF transparency amidst the Philippines’ Literacy crisis

BAGUIO CITY– As the nation grapples with shocking new data revealing 18.9 million Filipinos lack functional literacy, veteran journalist and city councilor candidate Eddie Carta is demanding urgent reforms in how Baguio City utilizes its Special Education Fund (SEF) – including questioning why ₱187.7 million was placed in time deposits instead of funding classrooms and other education related programs.

Carta is leading a crusade for greater transparency in Baguio’s Special Education Fund (SEF), challenging current practices regarding idle funds and time deposits while pushing for increased education budgets.

Alarming Literacy Statistics Spark Education Emergency

The urgency of Carta’s campaign was underscored by recent Senate hearings analyzing the 2024

Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), which found:

· 5.8 million Filipinos cannot read, write, or perform basic math.

· 28.4 million struggle with comprehension – unable to understand written instructions

· The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)  redefined literacy standards, revealing a wider crisis than previously known.

“These numbers are a national emergency,” said Carta, a 28-year broadcast veteran and former president of Baguio’s Federation of Parents and Teachers Associations. “Yet here in Baguio, we have ₱187.44 million in education funds sitting in bank accounts while our schools crumble.”

SEF Funds Gathering Dust Instead of Building Minds

Carta cited Baguio’s own 2023 Commission on Audit (COA) report showing:

· ₱187,744,000 in SEF money was placed in time deposits

· The funds could have built a hundred  new classrooms or purchased millions of textbooks

· This contradicts RA 7160’s mandate that SEF be used exclusively for education expenses

Key Highlights of SEF Provisions

Carta emphasized critical provisions governing the SEF:

 · Exclusive Use Mandate: By law, SEF can only fund school construction, teaching materials, sports programs, and scholarships (RA 7160 Sec. 272)

 · Time Deposit Rules: Idle funds may earn interest in government banks (LandBank/DBP) only with Local School Board (LSB) approval (COA Circular 2013-002)

 · Strict Penalties: Misuse can lead to graft charges (RA 3019) or malversation cases (Revised Penal Code Art. 220)

 “Idle funds should be the exception, not the rule,” Carta argued. “When 18.9 million Filipinos can’t function in society, every peso must fight illiteracy, not earn bank interest.”

 “Idle Funds or Hidden Misuse?”

With 28 years of investigative reporting experience and former leadership of Baguio’s Federation of Parents and Teachers Associations, Carta raised pointed questions:

 “The law allows idle SEF to be placed in time deposits, but we must verify: Are these funds truly idle, or is this a loophole to hide underspending? Why do some schools still lack classrooms while millions sit in bank accounts?”

He cited a 2022 COA report flagging ₱12.3 million in Baguio’s SEF that remained unused for over a year without proper justification.

“Every peso in the SEF represents a child’s future. We must ensure it reaches classrooms, not just bank interest accounts,” Carta stressed.

Carta’s 4-Point Education Rescue Plan

If elected, Carta vows to:

· Immediately recall unnecessarily deposited SEF funds

· Create a Literacy Task Force with teachers and parents

· Launch Night Literacy Programs for out-of-school youth

· Install Public SEF Trackers showing real-time fund usage

Carta’s 3-Point SEF Reform Plan

If elected, Carta vows to:

·       Mandate Quarterly SEF Disclosure Reports posted publicly

·       Require LSB to consult PTAs before declaring funds “idle” for time deposits

·       Lobby for Higher SEF Allocation through improved property tax collection

“Every peso in the SEF represents a child’s future. We must ensure it reaches classrooms, not just bank interest accounts,” Carta stressed.

“The FLEMMS survey shows we’re failing a generation,” Carta said. “But in Baguio, we can turn the tide – if we stop treating education funds like a savings account.”

Current Baguio practices remain unclear. “We need full disclosure of deposit terms and approval documents,” Carta insisted.