[As Prepared]

[Greetings]

On behalf of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), it is my pleasure to be with you today to hand over your new set of teachers’ guides and mother tongue storybooks to improve literacy instruction and reading skills of early grade Filipino children.

During my time here in the Philippines, I have visited many schools and met teachers and students much like you. Through these visits, I have seen first-hand how these materials are reinvigorating literacy teaching practices and a love for reading among teachers, students and even parents.

The United States Government continues to endorse the Department of Education’s commitment to advance the quality of education in the Philippines, so that every child has the best chance for success in life.

It is in this spirit of enduring friendship between the U.S. and the Philippines that the U.S government has committed over 1.9 billion Philippine pesos in education programs to the Philippines, through our flagship basic education project, Basa Pilipinas.

We do this with the shared belief that developing children’s reading skills during their formative years of schooling will give them the foundation for lifelong learning and academic success.

Teachers and school heads, thank you for your dedication to learn and implement new teaching strategies in the classroom. You are indeed crucial to helping students not just learn academics, but also acquire new knowledge and skills that are critical to their success in life.

To our partners at DepEd, thank you for your commitment to our partnership. We share your enthusiasm and we have full confidence in your leadership to move the Basa reading program forward, so it reaches more schools for the benefit of Filipino teachers and learners.

To the parents here today, thank you for your commitment to making the most out of your children’s education. Reading is a fundamental skill that your children need to continue their journeys through life, and their literacy skills are greatly improved when they practice at home with you.

These teachers’ guides and mother tongue storybooks are gifts from the American People, working with Filipinos. It signifies the commitment of the United States Government’s commitment to education. Let it serve as a lasting symbol of friendship between our two countries.

Daghang salamat.