THE San Juan City Government has partnered with the Cebu Provincial Government to share best practices in public education.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora encouraged using technology to boost student learning by equipping schools and school communities with the necessary technological infrastructure.
“Ang education framework natin [ay] nagbabago rin. We’re shifting to more technology-based education styles. We’ve seen that this has really worked for San Juan,” said Zamora in an interview after the sisterhood signing ceremony at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
In addition to providing students and teachers with technological devices, the city’s public education program offers free uniforms, rubber shoes, emergency bags, and financial assistance to public school students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“It’s really a matter of allocating your funds to where your priorities are… If we want our cities to progress, we have to really strengthen our citizenry, lalo na ang ating mga kabataan,” he added.
In 2024, the city ranked first among all highly urbanized cities in functional literacy, achieving a 95 percent rating from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Literacy challenges in Cebu
Cebu Province is currently experiencing low literacy rates; four out of 10 pupils in first through third grade struggle to comprehend a single paragraph, according to a 2026 report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom II).
The report also revealed that Talisay City recorded the highest rate of struggling readers at 50.2 percent, while Cebu City followed at 46.85 percent.
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro previously attributed low literacy in the province to malnutrition and has been actively pursuing food security programs since earlier this month.
Broadening the collaboration
Alongside the Cebu Provincial Government, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival and Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Vargas Gullas Jr. also signed partnership agreements with San Juan City.
The four local government units (LGUs) will collaborate to share policies, tourism initiatives, and civic programs.
“We hope that this sisterhood will lead to concrete changes, meaningful collaborations, and lasting friendships that will benefit our communities for many years to come,” said Baricuatro in her speech during the signing ceremony. (UP Cebu intern Gabriel Solamo)
