Beyond the Last Mile: How PBBM and DepEd Are Reshaping Education in Cordillera

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Deep in the mountains of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), in schools where electricity is a luxury and classrooms are often makeshift, the fight for education is far from over. But on February 27, 2025, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, fulfilling a key promise from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), walked into these communities—not just to observe, but to act.

Bridging the Gaps in Last Mile Schools

For the first time, a sitting Education Secretary set foot in Yabyabuan Multigrade School in Bagong, Sablan—an isolated school now powered by solar panels. In Andolor Elementary School in Tabaan Sur, Tuba, he turned over a newly constructed school building, a lifeline for students who have had to endure overcrowded and crumbling classrooms. These are just two of the four schools visited under the Last Mile Schools (LMS) Program, a DepEd initiative aimed at closing the education gap in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

“Last mile doesn’t have to be last priority,” Angara said, standing in front of teachers and students who have waited years for this kind of attention.

The LMS Program has been a slow but determined effort to bring basic infrastructure—proper classrooms, learning materials, and electricity—to the most neglected schools in the country. While urban centers debate the integration of AI into classrooms, some students in Benguet still lack stable internet or even a decent roof over their heads. Angara’s visit, though symbolic, signals a push for tangible solutions.

Inclusive Education at the Forefront

Beyond physical infrastructure, DepEd is also focusing on inclusivity. In Baguio, Angara inaugurated the Benguet Special Education Center – Inclusive Learning Resource Center (BSPED-ILRC), a facility meant to serve learners with disabilities. The initiative reflects a growing recognition that education reform isn’t just about new buildings—it’s also about ensuring that every child, regardless of ability or circumstance, has access to quality education.

The center is one of several across the country being developed to provide specialized learning materials, teacher training, and a support system for students who have traditionally been sidelined in the education system. While progress is slow, these spaces offer hope to parents and students who have long been left out of the conversation.

Data, Policy, and the Road Ahead

In the same visit, Angara convened the DepEd Management Committee (MANCOM) in Baguio to discuss long-term plans for education reform. The agenda was ambitious: curriculum improvements, budget allocations, and logistical preparations for upcoming elections. But at the heart of the discussions was something more fundamental—data.

“We have powerful tools for data analysis, but our systems need to work together. The data we collect at the school, division, and regional levels should all connect seamlessly,” Angara explained.

This focus on data-driven policy aims to make sure that investments in education are going where they are most needed. Last mile schools, after all, have historically suffered not just from neglect but from the lack of reliable information on their needs. If reforms are to work, they have to be informed by real numbers—not just political promises.

Building a ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ from the Ground Up

A “Bagong Pilipinas” is often discussed in grand, sweeping terms, but Angara insists that real change begins in places like Andolor—where children walk kilometers just to reach school, and where teachers remain committed despite having so little.

“A Bagong Pilipinas cannot be built from the top down,” Angara told an audience of education leaders. “It is shaped in places where dreams persist despite distance, where commitment is measured not in pesos but in perseverance.”

It’s a powerful statement, but one that comes with a challenge: How far is the government willing to go beyond symbolic visits and one-time infrastructure projects? Because for last mile schools, the real test is sustainability—whether these efforts will continue long after the cameras are gone.

For now, the students of Yabyabuan, Andolor, and other last mile schools have something they haven’t had in a long time: the government’s attention. Whether that attention turns into lasting reform remains to be seen.

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