CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF BAWAT BATA MAKABABASA PROGRAM: BASIS FOR SCHOOL-BASED POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/issue/?volume=November~2025 IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [45] CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF BAWAT BATA MAKABABASA PROGRAM: BASIS FOR SCHOOL-BASED POLICY DEVELOPMENT Laiza Marie S. Ramos Teacher III, Francisco Balagtas Memorial School, Philippines Paul M. Mamac Teacher II, Pablo Lorenzo National High School, Philippines Rexelyn Joy A. Padilla Teacher I, Cuayan Bugtong Elementary School, Philippines ABSTRACT The Philippine educational system is facing a serious problem in line with the reading proficiency of Filipino learners specially among basic education institutions. In response of this challenge, the Department of Education (DepEd) launched a bold initiative that carried a revolutionary goal of making every child can and must learn to read. The implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program (BBMP) was designed to ensure that all struggling readers attain grade-reading proficiency. Thus, this study describe the challenges and opportunities experienced by public elementary school teachers in the Philippines in the implementation of BBMP. The study employed descriptive correlational research design. It was participated by 200 randomly selected elementary teachers. Results revealed that teachers always encountered challenges under the implementation of BBMP along with the provision of grade-level based reading resources, learners’ active reading engagement and attendance of learners. On one hand, the study found out that there significant opportunities experienced by teachers who acted as tutors under the program along with development of learners’ reading skills, creative reading instruction and reinforced literacy instruction. In addition, the study found out that there was a moderate positive correlation between the challenges encountered by the teachers in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program in terms of grade-level based reading resources and the opportunities they experienced in the implementation og the program in terms of development of learners’ reading skills. Apparently, the proposed inputs for school-based policy concerning to the implementation of BBMP. Further, the study recommended the conduct of actual reading literacy assessment among learners under the program to validate the effectiveness of BBMP in learners’ reading proficiency development. Keywords: challenges, opportunities, Bawat Bata Makababasa Program, reading, proficiency, teachers INTRODUCTION Reading is one of the fundamental skills that learners are expected to acquire. Reading skills enable learners to significantly learn concepts, topics, principles and the like across various disciplines. In this line, reading is also one of the critical skills that learners find it difficult to develop. Reading starts with the recognition of sounds, to understanding the meaning of the word, use of words into phrases, understanding the themes or lessons on the stories or excerpts read and comprehending the substance of the texts, excerpts or stories read. On one hand, reading proficiency is the ability of learners to meet the reading standards set forth in the basic education system. In the Philippines, reading proficiency and reading comprehension skills forming the whole of learners’ reading skills and competence continually emerged as the country’s perennial educational problem. In this regard, Philippine educational system has always put serious concerns with the status on learners’ reading proficiency where most learners under the basic education continually struggle to meet the basic reading standards. This means that still, most of Filipino learners struggle to read proficiently. As shown to the data presented by the World Bank in 2022, at least 90% of Filipino children aged 10 struggle to read or understand simple text. Accordingly, based from the strong educational analysis in the current state of Philippine educational system as contained on Education Commission Report II, it is shown that reading is primordial Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/issue/?volume=November~2025 IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [46] educational concern in line with learners’ competence. Further, in actual classroom settings, there are numbers of Filipino learners from elementary to secondary level who find reading as an intricate and highly complex skills to develop. Reading abilities of Filipino learners have been a challenge for educators and policymakers alike. Poor reading abilities can be attributed to several factors including lack of resources and socioeconomic factors (Idulog et al., 2023). Further, reading comprehension skills is the ability to define word by word and create a profound idea from the talks given or read. Filipino learners lack comprehension. Enhancement of learners’ reading skills is through reading program intervention is necessary (Rabago, 2022). In addition, Philippines’ elementary learners confronted with low level of reading literacy caused by lack of reading materials, inclusion of learners-at-risk, lack of reading enthusiasm, teachers’ incompetence, shortage in reading materials and facilities, parental involvement and learners’ health (Librea et al., 2023). The reading level of elementary pupils in terms of oral reading and comprehension are in the frustration level. Difficulties on reading in terms of word recognition, silent reading comprehension and listening comprehension are found out difficult (Oposa, 2025). While learners continually struggle to achieve reading proficiency, the government through its primary organ in the delivery of quality-based education—The Department of Education, is also diligently developing and consistently implementing reading programs that may help learners and teachers resolve reading and reading comprehension problems. In this line, the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program (BBMP) is one of the programs that put resolution and address the learning loss and closing learning gaps of Filipino learners. This program is designed to ensure that all struggling learners attain grade-level reading proficiency. Part of the implementation of this program is the active involvement of teachers and pre-service teachers where they serve as tutors of those identified struggling readers among public schools in the Philippines. In addition, the program is structured on 1 is to tutor-to-learners ration whereas the program targets to provide focused support and individualized intervention to learners. As such, teachers serving as tutors are assigned to learners within their respective communities to facilitate the consistent attendance and sustained engagement. The implementation of BBMP as national reading intervention program aims to accelerate learners’ progress toward grade-level proficiency and promote a sustainable culture of literacy. Teachers as primary implementers acting as tutors of this program, are directly exposed to its implementation. This study described and examined the challenges and opportunities experienced by teachers who are engaged in the implementation of BBMP. Significance of the study is concentrated on the scientific study which at the core of program’s implementation, it is vital to consider teachers’ experiences involving the challenges and opportunities they encountered in the implementation of the program. OBJECTIVES Generally, this study described and examined teachers’ challenges and opportunities experienced in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program. Further, the study specifically answered the following questions: 1. How may the challenges in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program be described by the teachers, in terms of grade-level based reading resources, learners’ active reading engagement and attendance of learners? 2. How may the opportunities in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program ogram be examined by the teachers, in terms of development of learners’ reading skills, creative reading instruction and reinforced literacy instruction? 3. Is there a significant relationship between the challenges encountered and the opportunities experienced by the teachers in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program ogram? Hypothesis The study hypothesized that there would be no significant relationship between the challenges encountered and the opportunities experienced by the teachers in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program. Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/issue/?volume=November~2025 IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [47] METHODOLOGY The study employed a descriptive correlational research design. It was participated by 200 randomly selected public elementary school teachers in the Philippines. The researchers used simple random sampling in selecting the participation of the respondents. On the other hand, the researchers developed a survey-questionnaire which contained two (2) parts. For part 1, the developed survey-questionnaire contained items relative to the challenges encountered by teachers in the implementation of BBMP while part 2 contained items relative to the opportunities they experienced in the implementation of such program. The developed survey-questionnaire was subjected to validation and internal consistency measure. As to the validation process, the researchers sought the expertise of thee (3) teachers who held a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Management and Supervision. The developed survey-questionnaire obtained an “outstanding” remark after the evaluation of the expert-validators. Thereafter, the researchers subjected the same instrument to pilot testing. Items under part 1 obtained a Cronbach Alpha result of a=.781 which signified that the items were “acceptable.” On the other hand, items under part 2, gained a Cronbach Alpha result of a=.917 which signified that the items were “excellent.” Meanwhile, as to the actual data gathering, the researchers sent a Google Form links to the respondents containing the survey-questionnaire through the respondents email addresses. When all responses have been recorded, the researchers proceeded in analyzing the data gathered through the use of relevant statistical tools. Mean, standard deviation and general weighted mean were used in order to describe the challenges encountered and opportunities experienced by teachers in the implementation of BBMP. Thus, Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) was used in order to examine if there would be a significant relationship between the challenges encountered and the opportunities experienced by teachers in the implementation of BBMP. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Bawat Bata Makababasa Program is a national initiative program designed to address all struggling readers to attain grade-level reading proficiency. In this regard, reading proficiency is core element to establish effective and retentive teaching and learning process. In obtaining reading proficiency among learners among basic education institutions specifically within the public school system, teachers are expected to perform higher level of instructional processes through creative and innovative use of teaching strategies. Aligned with the BBMP’s program goals and objectives, teachers served as primary movers and actors in the sound implementation of the program where they act as tutors and instructional architects to provide effective reading intervention among their learners who are identified as struggling readers. Along this line, their experiences as tutors in the implementation of the program are vital considerations so as to ensure that the program’s goals and objectives are met. Challenges Encountered by Teachers in the Implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program. Challenges occurred are normal part in every program endeavored by any organizations, institutions or agencies. Teachers act as tutors of BBMP where are strongly exposed to the implementation of the program and the prevailing situations while implementing the program. The result shows that teachers always encountered challenges in the implementation of program as manifested by the general weighted mean of 3.32. This means that teachers under the program often encountered challenges in the provision of grade-level based reading resources (wm=3.38), learners’ active reading engagement (wm=3.31) and attendance of learners (wm=3.28). Teachers always encountered the challenges along with the provision of grade-level based reading resources which indicates that teachers always struggle to provide relevant reading materials for struggling readers as these relevant reading materials are supposed to help these struggling learners to cope with their reading and reading comprehension difficulty. In addition, this aspect which challenged teachers under the program are stemmed from lack of resources which are readily available. On one hand, teachers also always encountered challenges along with their learners’ active reading engagement. The result implies that learners under the program are always distracted and pose lesser engagement when there are given with different reading exercises and tasks. This aspect poses greater challenge for teachers serving as tutors under the program because regardless of the creativeness and innovation employed in teaching proper reading when learners are not fully engaged then, optimum reading instruction is less achieved. Lastly, teachers always encountered challenges along with the attendance of learners. This indicates that attendance issues are still evident where it hampered the sound implementation of the program in which the same is structured on tutorial schemes specifically 1 is to Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/issue/?volume=November~2025 IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [48] 10 ration. This aspect imposes another instructional challenge for teacher-tutors on the basis while the program intends to address the reading skills deficiencies of learners, if learners themselves are less interested, then program’s goals and objectives cannot be obtained fully and efficiently. Results of the study supported the study of Lu (2022) which reveals that teachers always encountered inadequacy of reading materials, difficulty in providing learners’ needs, low level of motivation drawn by the learners and insufficiency of time allotment for teaching reading intervention. Opportunities Experienced by the Teachers in the Implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program. While teachers encountered different challenges in delivering reading instruction under the program, there are several opportunities experienced by the teachers under the program. The result shows that teachers experienced several forms of opportunities under the program as manifested by the general weighted mean of 3.76. This means that teachers under the program experienced significant opportunities along with development of learners’ reading skills (wm=3.87), creative reading instruction (wm=3.72) and reinforced literacy instruction (wm=3.69). Teachers experienced significant opportunities along with the development of learners’ reading skills. This indicates that through the implementation of the program, their reading instruction and avenue to further their teaching time for their struggling learners are given premium emphasis. With the provision of structured reading intervention program, they find it as a significant opportunity to resolve their learners’ reading problems. On the other hand, teachers also find an opportunity under the program along with creative reading instruction. This implies that as they serve as tutors for their struggling readers, they capacity to design and implement creative and innovative reading instruction are fully maximized. They extend their creativity and innovativeness in designing, crafting and implementing reading instruction to their learners for the purpose of helping and supporting their learners cope with the different reading problems they encounter under the gradelevel reading standards. Lastly, teachers find an opportunity along with reinforced literacy instruction. This indicates that teachers felt that they have given enough instructional platform that significantly deal with the reading difficulty and problems encountered by their learners struggle in reading. Notably, they find an opportunity to construct and reconstruct impactful reading instruction which are less displayed during the formal instructional processes instituted during form instruction time. Results of the study supported the study of Merga (2017) which concludes that teachers find significant benefits in teaching reading and provision of reading intervention program as teachers are able to go beyond the instructional formalities and conventional teaching made within the classroom context. Also, similar study reveals that teachers find an opportunity to effectively and consistently impose interactive reading instruction which allow leaners to proceed with shared reading, building their reading comprehension skills. Relationship Between The Challenges Encountered and The Opportunities Experienced By The Teachers In The Implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program. The result reveals that there was a moderate positive correlation between the challenges encountered by the teachers in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makakabasa Program in terms of grade-level based reading resources and the opportunities they experienced in the implementation og the program in terms of development of learners’ reading skills (r=.419, P-value =.026). Thus, the null hypothesis that there would be no significant relationship between the challenges encountered and the opportunities experienced by the teachers in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makakabasa Program is rejected. The result suggests that when teachers acting as tutors under the program struggle in the provision of relevant grade-level reading resources, it adversely affects their ability to create more opportunities for developing their struggling readers’ skills. Simply, inadequate reading resources limit reading strategies and activities that promote reading skills development under the program. Practically, the study implicates that lack of relevant grade-level based reading resources to be used in the implementation of program, it may lead to poor program outcomes and may defeat the targeted goals and objectives. Inputs for Policy Development. Based from the findings, it is significant to consider the following considerations which may serve as inputs for school-based policy development pertaining to the sound implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program. As such, these include: monitoring and evaluation metrics that compel teachers acting as tutors to provide a supportive reading intervention environment, focusedinitiatives on grade-level based reading resources and passage of local ordinances within the community supporting the implementation of the program. Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/issue/?volume=November~2025 IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [49] ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The researchers extend their warmest gratitude to their families, friends and colleagues who have helped and supported them to complete this scholarly but humble work that stemmed within their inner vigor and wit as scholars, educators and public servants in the field of education. Above all, they are deeply indebted to God in the Highest for all the blessings they received and to the eternal love and wisdom, that His Glory provides. CONCLUSION Bawat Bata Makababasa Program as national reading intervention program actively respond to the prevailing reading deficiencies, concerns, problems and challenges surrounding the provision of reading proficiency for Filipino learners. The study found out that teachers always encountered challenges in the implementation of program along with grade-level based reading resources, learners’ active reading engagement and attendance of learners. Further, the study concluded that teachers experienced several forms of opportunities under the program along with development of learners’ reading skills, creative reading instruction and reinforced literacy instruction. Also, the study revealed that there was a moderate positive correlation between the challenges encountered by the teachers in the implementation of Bawat Bata Makababasa Program in terms of grade-level based reading resources and the opportunities they experienced in the implementation og the program in terms of development of learners’ reading skills which suggests that when teachers acting as tutors under the program struggle in the provision of relevant grade-level reading resources, it adversely affects their ability to create more opportunities for developing their struggling readers’ skills. REFERENCES [1] Idulog, M. V., Gadiano, R., Toledo, E., Hermosada, M., Casaldon, H., Mariposa, M., Geron, C., Dequito, E., Genanda, J., Malipot, M. A., Pentang, J., & Bautista, R. (2023). Filipino students’ reading abilities: A note on the challenges and potential areas for improvement. 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