The localization of literacy governance in the Philippines just hit a major milestone. With the release of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, s. 2024, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) formally reinforced the creation, reconstitution, and empowerment of Local Literacy Councils (LLCs) in every city and municipality.
This bold move doesn’t just comply with existing mandates—it revitalizes grassroots-level literacy strategies using real data, clear roles, and digital integration through the National Literacy Information System (NLIS).
🧩 What the 2024 JMC Means for LCC Localization
Released to Undersecretaries, Regional Directors, School Division Superintendents, and others across the education system, JMC No. 1, s. 2024 places Local Literacy Councils front and center. These councils aren’t new—but what’s new is the clear mandate, restructured roles, and the explicit partnership between DepEd and DILG.
According to the memorandum, every city and municipality is now required to form or strengthen an LLC, ensuring it can effectively implement community-based literacy programs aligned with national frameworks. These councils will also coordinate literacy initiatives under both formal education and the Alternative Learning System (ALS)—two sectors that continue to face challenges in inclusivity and reach.
🗂️ NLIS: The Backbone of Local Literacy Intelligence
All data gathered by the local literacy councils are to be managed and consolidated by the LCC Secretariat through the National Literacy Information System (NLIS). This centralized digital platform now plays an even more critical role, acting not just as a repository, but as the go-to source for literacy mapping, policy input, and program development.
According to the LCC official portal (lcc.deped.gov.ph), the NLIS includes modules such as:
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Literacy laws and issuances
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Research and innovations
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Community-based literacy initiatives
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Survey and assessment tools like FLEMMS
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Best practices from LGUs and NGOs
The 2024 JMC reinforces that the NLIS isn’t just for documentation—it’s a tool for decision-making, strategy, and program design at every level.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS LLC NLIS PORTAL
🏘️ Local Funding and National Support: Who Pays What?
One of the most concrete steps in the 2024 issuance is financial clarity. Local government units are expected to fund activities related to the operation of LLCs from their own budgets or in partnership with external organizations. But here’s the big news: the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) will also allocate program support funds to Regional Offices (ROs), depending on budget availability. This two-way funding approach—local initiative plus national backing—marks a more sustainable strategy for community-based literacy.
These expenses are to follow existing accounting and auditing regulations, a crucial safeguard in ensuring responsible and transparent implementation at all levels.
🧠 Impact on DepEd Offices and ALS Centers
The Joint Memo calls on all DepEd Regional Offices, Schools Division Offices, public schools, and ALS community learning centers to actively implement its provisions. That means:
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Helping facilitate the formation of LLCs
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Training and mobilizing local teams for literacy planning and reporting
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Uploading relevant data to NLIS
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Acting as a conduit between local initiatives and national strategy
This directive emphasizes the multi-sectoral nature of literacy work, integrating educational, governmental, and civil society stakeholders into a cohesive, data-driven system.
🚀 Why This Matters Now More Than Ever
The Philippines faces persistent literacy challenges. According to the FLEMMS 2020 report by the Philippine Statistics Authority, roughly 1 in 10 Filipinos aged 10–64 are functionally illiterate—a stat that worsens in remote, underserved areas. Localization of literacy governance, supported by actionable data from NLIS, offers a direct route to closing these gaps through tailored interventions, not just blanket national campaigns.
The 2024 JMC isn't just bureaucracy—it’s a framework for empowerment, equipping local leaders with the structure, authority, and tools to lead in their own communities.