Global Citizenship Education in the Philippines:
Adaptations and Innovations
Serafin A. Arviola Jr. and Carl O. Dellomos

G

lobal Citizenship Education (gced) is an emerging conceptthat promotes the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes
necessary to live in a world that is interdependent and interconnected. The Philippines is among the countries that have taken significant
steps in implementing gced for the past seven years. In this report, we present the Philippine initiatives on gced and how it has impacted the country’s
education sector.
One of the most significant initiatives that the Philippines has taken on
gced is its integration in the national curriculum. This integration aims toequip learners with the knowledge, skills, and values to become global citizens who can contribute to the development of the country and the world.
Moreover, the Philippine government has launched various programs andprojects that promote gced. One of these initiatives is the Global Educators
Program (gep), which aims to develop teachers’ competencies in teachinggced. This program provides opportunities for teachers to participate ininternational conferences, workshops, and immersion programs that focus
on gced. Through the gep, teachers are equipped with the necessary skills
and knowledge to facilitate gce in their classrooms.
Furthermore, the Philippines has established partnerships with international organizations like United Nations Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization (unesco), Asia-Pacific Centre of Education forInternational Understanding (apceiu) and Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (asean) to promote gced. In 2016, the Philippines hosted the asean Integration Through Education (ite) program, which aimed to foster
cooperation and understanding among asean countries through education.
This program focused on gced as a means to promote peace, tolerance, andunderstanding among asean youth. The Philippine government’s initiatives
on gced have also been recognized by international organizations. In 2019,
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the Philippines embarked on a three-year gced project with apceiu andDepartment of Eduction (DepEd) to integrate gced in the K-12 curriculumand develop gced lesson exemplars. This is a testament to the Philippines’
commitment to promoting gced as a means to achieve sustainable development and global understanding.
These gced initiatives constitute a significant part of the work in thePhilippines towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (sdgs)
by 2030.1
The GCED Idea
The multidirectional globalization process enabled countries and their citizens to interact openly, most prominently in the economic sphere. With internet, virtually everyone is able to participate online on a global scale not
only on economic issues but also on issues regarding the political, sociocultural and environmental dimensions of development. The increasingly
globalized world led to global citizenship, a new kind of citizenship that
accommodates global perspectives in addition to the traditional definitionof citizenship tied to a nation-state. Unesco referred to global citizenship asa “sense of belonging to a broader community and common humanity” anda “way of understanding, acting and relating oneself to others and the environment in space and in time, based on universal values, through respectfor diversity and pluralism” (unesco, 2014, page 14). Global citizenship puts
emphasis on the interdependence and interconnectedness of political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions between and among the local, thenational, and the global (unesco, 2015).
Gced is crucial in the formation of global citizens who are equippedwith essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes to participate and contributeto societal development at local and global levels. It “aims to empower learners to engage and assume active roles, both locally and globally, to face andresolve global challenges, and ultimately to become proactive contributors
to a more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable world”(unesco, 2014, page 15). To achieve such educational goals, gced holistically targets three dimensions of learning: cognitive, socio-emotional andbehavioral (unesco, 2015). The cognitive domain ensures that learners acquire the necessary knowledge, understanding and critical thinking on vari-Global Citizenship Education in the Philippines: Adaptations and Innovations

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ous global, regional, national and local issues. The socio-emotional domain
provides students with a sense of belonging to a common humanity, sharing
values and responsibilities, empathy, solidarity and respect for differencesand diversity. The behavioral domain expects students to act responsibly at
local, national, and global levels for a more peaceful and sustainable world.
Efforts and initiatives to integrate gced-related concepts, values andbehaviors in the current K to 12 curriculum in the Philippines have emergedin recent years. For example, the Division of City Schools-Manila participated in a capacity-building program called In Scientia Nos Solidaritas (InScience, We are United). This program aimed to prepare science teachersof Manila to integrate gced on existing secondary school science subjects
through teaching demonstrations, writing lesson exemplars and developing a contextualized and age appropriate gced Learning Resource Material(lrm) suited to Filipino students.
DepEd and GCED
During the First United Nations Association of the Philippines (unap)
Stakeholders Conference held on 30-31 July 2018 at the University of
Makati, then DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones highlighted theDepartment’s effort in strengthening the K to 12 curriculum, with a focus onpeace and global citizenship education.2
According to Secretary Briones(t)opics on peace and security are already integrated in our curriculum, but we, in DepEd, continuously conduct efforts to uplift our education system, and revisiting and further improving
our curriculum is a part of it… If there is peace and security
in the largest unit of government, in the biggest office with thelargest number of people, the largest number of learners, thenperhaps a major contribution can be made.
Secretary Briones noted that “one cannot have quality education if there
is no peace and security.”
The conference carried the theme, “The Role of Education in Our
Journey to Peace and Security,” and was attended by peace advocates, education leaders, youth, and other stakeholders from various government agen-268

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cies, non-governmental organizations (ngos), educational institutions, andinternational organizations.
She explained that DepEd is in constant talks with education stakeholders to strengthen the K to 12 curriculum: “We have been getting feedbacks
from industry, parents, schools heads, teachers, and other stakeholders,
especially on how our curriculum treats issues of peace and security.” The
Secretary added that these issues are becoming more urgent not only in thePhilippines, but also in a global scale. Thus, ensuring ways in instilling lessons about achieving a more inclusive, just, and peaceful world in students
is vital.
She then presented several measures to address the need to have education on peace and security:3
1. Safe Schools Declaration
Briones also reiterated the Department’s strong commitment inmaintaining the neutrality of schools as zones of peace to ensurethat students and teachers are in an environment conducive tolearning and free from harm through the DepEd Order No. 44,
series of 2005, or the Declaration of Schools as Zones of Peace:“DepEd has long been implementing the policy on safe
schools; Schools that are established and registered with DepEd,
whether public or private, are safe from any military visitors,[military] activities, and we campaigned heavily for this during
the Marawi siege,” she stated.
The Secretary likewise noted that DepEd, the Departmentof National Defense (dnd), and other national government
agencies fully support and are signatories of the Safe Schools
Declaration (ssd), “an inter-governmental political agreement
dedicated to protecting education in armed conflict.”4The ssd was crafted and developed through consultations
among various states as “an inter-governmental political commitment that provides countries the opportunity to express support for protecting students, teachers, schools, and universities
from attack during times of armed conflict; the importance ofthe continuation of education during armed conflict; and theimplementation of concrete measures to deter the military useof schools.”5
2. Learners’ safety in schools
Aside from ensuring that no armed conflict or personnel are allowed near and within the premises of a learning environment,
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implemented policies that safeguard students from incidencesof bullying and physical violence. “Bullying is absolutely forbidden and there is a protocol for handling cases of bullying; hazingis also forbidden, physical acts of violence, whether among thechildren, or as sometimes claimed from teachers, or from children to their teachers, these undesirable actions are all forbidden,” Briones remarked.
3. On Global citizenship
Briones also noted that because of the rapid globalizing stateof the society, advancing lessons in global citizenship is important in order to have platforms for meaningful exchange, where
people can learn each other’s history, culture and circumstances
to foster greater respect and tolerance for each other’s identity.
“Through partnerships, we are sending our teachers to visit
other countries to get vital insights which we can use for the betterment of our educational system,” she said.
“Peace, security, and global citizenship are already in the
curriculum but we are further strengthening it, especially interms of instructional materials, ways of teaching, and even theuse of films, dances, and other forms of art in order to transmit these ideas and concepts to our learners,” Briones expounded. Also present at the event were Presidential Peace Adviser
Secretary Jesus Dureza, Commission on Higher Education(ched) Commissioner Ronald Adamat, unap President and former DepEd Secretary Mona Valisno, unap President Emeritus
Aurora Reciña, and former Senator Anna Dominique Coseteng.
Established in 1947, unap aims to help promote global understanding, cooperation and peace in the Philippines and among
nations based on human dignity and universal services

GCED in Higher Education and Other Institutions
Promotion of gced has gained traction in the last five years with various
higher education institutions, as well as government and non-governmentalorganizations and advocacy groups, conducting activities on gced. The following activities show the increasing recognition of gced in the country:•

2017 International Assembly of Youth for unesco with the theme“unesco Clubs Collective Actions Towards a Peaceful and Just
Society” held on 1-3 September 2017 at icon Hotel, Quezon City

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sponsored by National Coordinating Body of unesco Clubs in thePhilippines and unesco National Commission of the Philippines;
1st Global Citizenship Education Workshop for Teacher Education
with the theme “Embedding gced in the New Teacher Education
Curriculum of the Philippines” held on 14-16 October 2017 at
Eurotel Hotel, Manila sponsored by apceiu and unesco National
Commission of the Philippines;
2018 International Assembly of Youth for unesco with thetheme “Protecting Heritage and Fostering Creativity for Global
Citizenship” held on 6-8 September 2018 at icon Hotel, Quezon
City sponsored by National Coordinating Body of unesco Clubsin the Philippines and unesco National Commission of thePhilippines;
2nd Global Citizenship Education Workshop for Teacher
Education with the theme “Towards the Establishment of gced
Network in the Philippines” held on 6-8 September 2018 at icon
Hotel, Quezon City sponsored by unesco-Bangkok and unesco
National Commission of the Philippines;
3rd Global Citizenship Education Workshop for Teacher Education
with the theme “Whole-School Approach to Global Citizenship
Education” held on 12-14 December 2018 at St. Giles Hotel,
Makati City sponsored by unesco-Bangkok and unesco National
Commission of the Philippines;
Under the 2019 gced Roadshow: Promoting Global Citizenship
Education in Philippine Basic Education Schools, workshops forteachers and principals were held in Pampanga, Bacolod City andButuan City sponsored by unesco-Bangkok and unesco National
Commission of the Philippines. The project had two major components: the seminar-workshops on Whole School Approach to
gced for school heads and teachers and the Module Development
anchored primarily on gced concepts and principles;2019 International Assembly of Youth for unesco with the theme“Protecting Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in the context of
Global Citizenship Education” held on 5-7 December 2019 at
Eurotel Hotel, Angeles City, Pampanga sponsored by National
Coordinating Body of unesco Clubs in the Philippines (ncbucp)
and unesco National Commission of the Philippines;

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Conference on Reflecting on Global Citizenship Education (gced)
in the Time of Pandemic held on 17 July 2020 via Zoom andFacebook, organized by the Philippine Normal University (pnu)with apceiu, seameo, and Philippine National Commission for
unesco. Participants came from at least thirty countries;
2022 International Assembly of Youth for unesco with the theme“sdg 14: Harnessing the Power of Youth as a Global Citizen to Heal
the Ocean,” held on 9-11 December 2022 at Bayview Park Hotel,
Manila sponsored by National Coordinating Body of unesco Clubsin the Philippines (ncbucp) and unesco National Commission of
the Philippines.

The International Assembly of Youth for UNESCO convened youth leaders and advocates of UNESCO
and the SDGs (9-11 December 2022).

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H U M A N R I G H T S E D U C AT I O N I N A S I A - PA C I F I C · V O L U M E 1 3 , 2 0 2 3In light of the existence of internet technologies that have enabled
Filipinos to take part in various social spheres at the global level, the needto develop responsible Filipino global citizens through education had neverbeen more pressing. gced offers a framework to systematically respondto this educational need. The aims of gced have always been part of thePhilippines’ goals being a democracy. Moreover, institutions (particularly
DepEd) have started to promote gced-related concepts and ideals within
the education system. These favorable conditions can facilitate smooth
gced integration in the basic education curriculum, which is necessary todevelop the ideal Filipino global citizens.
Philippine Normal University
The Philippine Normal University (pnu) started to integrate gced in various curricular and co-curricular programs in 2017. Faculty members are familiar with the values related to gced but they might not explicitly mention
gced in their teaching.
pnu, as the National Center for Teacher Education, embeds gced in
Teacher Education Curriculum. It considered the following changing contexts of education and the corresponding educational reforms to embed
gced in its Outcomes-based Teacher Education Curriculum:
1. Growing internationalization of education which requires harmonization of standards and policies for evaluation, assessment
standards, teacher training, curriculum, instruction, and testing
between and among countries;
2. Scientific and technological developments which are revolutionizing the teaching-learning processes in the 21st Century;
3. Imperatives of education for sustainable development which will
promote sustainable living and improve the capacity of people toaddress the environmental and development issues;
4. Impact of globalization which requires addressing both specificitiesof culture and tolerance of cultural diversity between and amonggroups in a borderless world and at the national level; and5. Restructuring of Basic Education anchored on lifelong learningand Education for All which requires a new set of competencies
for teachers.

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gced principles and values are integrated into General Education andProfessional Education courses offered at pnu. In the General Education
courses, gced is integrated in subjects like “Understanding the Self,”“[Jose] Rizal’s Life and Works,” “Readings in Philippine History,” “Ethics,”“Contemporary World,” “Art Appreciation,” “Mathematics in the Modern
World,” “Purposive Communication,” and “Science, Technology, & Society.”In the Professional Education courses, gced is integrated in “Foundationof Education,” “Psychology of Learners,” “Theories of Learning,” “Guidance
and Counseling,” “Developments in Education,” “Educational Technology,”“Principles and Methods of Teaching,” “Introduction to Curriculum
Development and Instructional Planning,” “Assessment and Evaluation of
Learners,” “Introduction to Special Education,” “Developmental Reading,”“Professional Ethics and Relevant Laws,” and “Practice Teaching.”
In 2022, the pnu and apceiu established the gced Cooperation Centre
Philippines (gcc Philippines) to serve as the hub for teacher training, research and curriculum development, and information dissemination on
gced in the country. It aims to engage teachers, school heads, and educational supervisors on gced content and teaching methods to advance gced
in the Philippine educational system; to direct research and exercises promoting the improvement of the gced educational plan; and to expand training partners’ familiarity with gced drives and ventures. gcc Philippines
aims to become a champion for the advancement of gced in the Philippine
educational contexts.6

Lim Hyunmook, Director of APCEIU (left) and Bert J. Tuga, PhD, President of PNU (right) signed a
Memorandum of Agreement on 15 March 2022 designating PNU as the GCED Cooperation Centre in
the Philippines.

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In the same year (2022), gcc Philippines established a network of statecolleges and universities on gced. These higher education institutions,mainly teacher education institutions (teis) which advocate gced in theirrespective regions, were recognized as “gcc Regional Hubs”. These colleges and universities have a long history of actively participating in different projects and programs concerning the welfare of their students. They
are also the leading institutions in the regions in terms of implementing
gced. Top-performing teis were chosen as the first gcc Regional Hubs inthe country, to wit, Pangasinan State University, pnu North Luzon, Tarlac
Agricultural University, City College of Calamba, Romblon State University,
Bicol University, pnu Visayas, University of Eastern Philippines, Bukidnon
State University, Mindanao State University, pnu Mindanao, Sulu State
College, Kalinga State University, Marikina Polytechnic College and Sulu
State College.

Philippine Normal University and seventeen TEIs signed Memorandum of Understanding designatingthem as GCC Regional Hubs.

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The Institutional Capacity-building on gced project was launched in
2022 to build a stronger foundation of gced knowledge and application for
pnu faculty and staff by providing a series of capacity-building activities.
This project is perceived as the cause of multiplication of leaders on gced
within the university.

GCC Philippines spearheaded a series of GCED trainings for PNU Faculty and Staff as part of its
Institutional Capacity Building on GCED Project.

GCED Integration Project: The Tripartite Project of APCEIU, PNU, and DepEd
The integration of gced in basic education is critical in achieving quality
education, which is Goal 4 in sdgs. As defined by unesco, global citizenship is a “sense of belonging to a broader community and common humanity” and a “way of understanding, acting and relating oneself to others and276

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the environment in space and in time, based on universal values, throughrespect for diversity and pluralism” (unesco, 2014, page 14). Indeed, theglobalized world has brought to the fore the need for global citizenship to bemainstreamed in the basic education curriculum in order to develop a newkind of citizens who would work together in making this planet peaceful,just and sustainable. Toward this end, the systematic integration of gced
in basic education must be seriously considered by the education sectors
across the globe.
More than the expected commitment of the Philippine government tomeeting the sdgs, integrating and mainstreaming gced into the basic curriculum can contribute to the country’s overall goal of improving the qualityof education.
While gced-related concepts have always been promoted in the education system of the Philippines, the efforts were sporadic and fragmented.
In the current K to 12 curriculum, cultural tolerance, respect for humanrights, social justice, gender respect and equality, environmental sustainability, peace advocacy, collaboration, and cooperation are highly evident
in the standards and competencies (Andaya, 2019). However, a systematicand intentional integration of gced in the basic curriculum is necessary forstudents to become the ideal Filipino global citizens.
Integration of gced in the intended and implemented curriculum canbe challenging. Aside from it being a new term to education professionals
like curriculum developers, teachers and education leaders, Filipino teachers may not be aware of the global guidance document on the overall teaching and learning objectives of gced (apceiu, 2019). Education leaders, withthe support of global organizations advancing global citizenship and international understanding like apceiu, must come together in efforts to scaffold integration of gced from the intended to implemented curriculum. The
Philippines, along with Kenya, Lebanon and Sri Lanka, under the auspicesof the unesco - apceiu, embarked on a three-year (2019-2020) project
named Global Citizenship Education (gced) Curriculum Development andIntegration with the aim of mainstreaming gced in the national curriculums.7 DepEd, as the lead agency for this project, conducted the situation
analysis that aimed to determine the entry points of gced integration during the first year of implementation. For its second year of implementation,
which focused on the drafting of the gced-integrated curriculum, DepEd
designated pnu as its implementing partner.

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The second phase of this international project had four objectives: 1)
develop the Philippine gced indicators; 2) map Philippine gced indicatorsin the basic education curriculum; 3) develop the Philippine gced framework; and 4) elaborate the gced framework in the Philippine K to 12 Basic
Education Curriculum through the identification of knowledge, skills andattitudes of gced.

APCEIU and PNU Letter of Agreement designating PNU as APCEIU implementing agency for the
Curriculum Development and Integration Project with DepEd (2019).

Development of the Philippine GCED Framework
Curriculum mapping was a crucial first step in developing the Philippine
gced Framework. This intensive review of the curriculum identified gcedrelated concepts and themes and established the patterns and manner bywhich they were found in the curriculum. Within a learning area (LA),278

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curriculum experts analyzed the specific topics, units, or grading periods
where specific gced concepts, values and behavior were most prominently
integrated. They looked at how the curriculum was developed to meet theneeds of integrating gced principles in the K to 12 curriculum. Further, they
provided a comparative view on the level of integration of gced indicators
across LAs.
Looking at the results of the curriculum mapping, a Project Core Teamsynthesized the patterns that emerged across levels, across learning areasand how they were horizontally developed. The integration in the curriculum of gced competencies and practices required an inward look to examine the intended curriculum. Curriculum mapping revealed various insights
and illustrations of gced in the Philippine K to 12 curriculum. Mapping
results were categorized further on the basis of LAs and grade levels (GLs).
The findings on the varying levels of integration of gced concepts andthemes in the country’s basic education curriculum point to the need for aframework that can guide all those who have stake at designing the curriculum and in identifying the needed educational experience to be provided to
students for a proper integration of gced both in the intended and implemented curriculums.
A constructivist approach guided the development of the gced-integrated curriculum by responding to the following questions:
1.
2.
3.

What educational purposes do we seek to attain?;
What educational experiences can be provided to students by integrating gced in the K-12 curriculum?; andHow should these gced experiences be effectively organized in the
curriculum?

This started the development the Philippine gced framework.
The Philippine gced Framework had to clearly outline the intent, purpose, and functionality of gced integration in the learning areas and gradelevels. The development of this framework was done at several levels.
The first level of analysis involved examining the existing context andrealities of the Philippine educational system in conjunction with the reviewof the curriculum mapping results. Drawing from various legal, pedagogicaland educational sources, and the essential elements of Global Citizenshipamidst the challenges of globalization, the Project Core Team realized that

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the intended national curriculum was an important institutional vehicle topromote and propagate the ideals of Global Citizenship. Looking at the rangeof statutes, department orders, and educational philosophies, the ProjectCore Team recognized that policies and programs were already in place tosupport the teaching of gced knowledge skills, values and behaviors.
On the second level of analysis, the Project Core Team examined theinternational and local contexts and how these were entangled in the daily
life experiences of Filipinos. Significant global developments, challenges andproblems have heightened the need for gced in the Philippines.
In the context of the Philippines, elements of gced are related to thenational principles and policies expressed in the 1987 Constitution.8 The
Constitution gives prime importance to education by aiming to “[e]stablish,
maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.” (Section 1, Article XIV).
The Constitution also highlights the Bill of Rights (Article III). The national
principles and policies serve as guiding tenets in enacting laws in the country.
Additionally, the government issued Executive Order 570, Institutionalizing
Peace Education in Basic Education and Teacher Education, in 2006.9 All
these were inputs in the development of the Philippine gced Framework.
The third level of analysis focused on deeper understanding of the visionof gced. The Project Core Team reviewed the notions of global citizenshipsuch as gced as a global educational endeavor and a call to action intended
to emphasize humanity’s solidarity. The focus on global citizenship resulted
from increasing global and regional initiatives with implications on policy,
curriculums, teaching, and learning. The Project Core Team identified theimportant gced attributes and skills to be developed among the students.
The Project Core Team underwent a visioning process where gced
served as a vehicle to build more just, peaceful, tolerant and inclusive societies, acknowledging that this would require appropriate visions, policies,
strategies, commitments and sustained actions. Through a critical education process, the root causes of conflicts and crises had to be fully understood, followed by the design and implementation of appropriate actions
for resolving them. Through gced, the next generation of youth and adults
form their values, principles and knowledge of peaceful futures and develop
their sense of responsibility and accountability in taking personal and social
actions necessary for transformation towards a culture of peace. The Project

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H U M A N R I G H T S E D U C AT I O N I N A S I A - PA C I F I C · V O L U M E 1 3 , 2 0 2 3Core Team enhanced the view of the global citizen as a person who take local action that contributes to addressing global problems.
The next layer of analysis was composed of reflective analysis of the
Project Core Team’s own biases as opposed to the general underpinnings of
gced. A workshop for this purpose tackled the theoretical and philosophical underpinning of gced as a critical and transformative education. This
was also the opportune time to look upon the appropriate pedagogies that
could be considered in teaching gced in the Philippines. The processes ofteaching and learning gced need to be consistent with the values and principles of transformative education (e.g., democratic, dialogical, holistic, participatory, creative, critical empowerment) in order to facilitate the growthof socio-emotional and behavioral or action capacities and competencies(Toh, 1997; Cawagas, 2007). For education to be transformative, knowledge(cognitive domain) must touch the heart (socio-emotional) and turn into
action to bring about positive change (behavioral dimension). gced should
foster students’ engagement by examining global issues and contextualizingthem in the local issues to promote earth stewardship, social conscience andlove of country. This workshop identified the enabling factors needed for
gced to thrive in the educational context.
The last layer of analysis was the identification of the content, scope andcomponents of gced in the Philippine K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum.
gced indicators developed for the Philippines were based on the three domains of learning – the cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral.
In this last step, the Project Core Team deliberated on how the interconnections and cohesive integration of the identified aspects of gced in
the Philippines could be presented. Moreover, the Project Core Team carefully deliberated on how these layers of contexts and dimensions of gced
should be organized to depict the envisaged experience of learning on how
to become an ideal Filipino global citizen. This led to the development of a
proposed national framework on gced.
Curriculum experts and mappers, DepEd officials and unesco-apceiu
representatives examined the proposed national framework on gced. Theircomments improved the overall quality of the framework and ensured its
relevance. Further, the Project Core Team asked two gced Expert validators to make an overall evaluation of the pertinent parts of the final copy ofthe proposed national framework. Their inputs led to minor revision of the
proposed national framework on gced.

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PAGHABI: The Philippine GCED Framework
The Philippine gced Framework is formally titled Philippine Adaptationof gced: Holistic Approach in Basic Education and Institutionalization. It
has the acronym paghabi, which is a Filipino word for traditional weavingin Philippine culture. paghabi is the metaphor for the process of weaving
the interconnections among the different elements/strands and processes
including complexities of gced, reflecting the unique and artistic aspects ofa curriculum design process.
At the center of the framework is the Filipino global citizen who embodies the gced competencies needed to build a just, peaceful and sustainable
society. The framework emphasizes the goal of making the Filipino students
become “globally adaptive and competent,” highlighting the ultimate goal of
K to 12 curriculum of making the Filipino students optimize a whole world
approach (i.e., recognizing the importance of other countries’ best practices
in various fields [interests] across contexts [cultures]). These global competencies are driven by two forces of global citizenship coming from within
and from the outside. Global citizenship mula sa loob (from within) refers
to factors that influence the Filipino students to identify themselves according to their socio-political origins, cultural roots, and consciousness and tounderstand their significance in the inclusive community of global citizens.
The framework is founded on deep understanding of the concept of kapwa
by the Filipino students. Kapwa (fellow) is defined as a shared identity, corevalue and relationship among Filipinos which can be highlighted as the local
culture-based conceptualization of global citizenship that emphasizes oneness, social justice, and communal development. Kapwa leads to pagiging
makatao-mabuting tao (being a good person) and makataong pagtrato (humane treatment) of fellow human beings (Liao, 2016), which are importantfor Filipinos in uplifting and maintaining solidarity and peace. A Filipino
imbued with the four national core values promoted by DepEd (makatao[pro-people], maka-Diyos [pro-God], maka-kalikasan [pro-environment],
and maka-bansa [pro-country]) is the Filipino global citizen. The students
should learn and manifest the global competence in the family, community,
nation and the world.
Global citizenship mula sa labas (from outside) refers to factors that
influence the Filipino students in using and adopting the best practices fromother parts of the world to become responsible and accountable global citi-

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zens. The 21st century skills and other global competencies are what theFilipino students have to use to face the challenges of living in the community affected by global influences. Filipino students should be able to gauge
the relevance of these global contexts and experiences through their own
meaningful experiences. This approach ensures that learning the competencies of global citizenship is not promoting the distortion, alienation andmarginalization of Filipino students’ experiences and represent themselvesbetter in a pluralist world by valuing their own identity, respecting communal welfare, loving common humanity and acting towards a just, peacefuland sustainable world.
Adapting gced to the Philippine K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum,
the paghabi is structured according to five major threads (international
context, local context, gced pedagogies and approaches, whole curriculum
strategies and the gced domains, outcomes and themes) that are interwoven to guide the development of the Filipino global citizen. The weaving of
gced into the K to 12 curriculum provides a systematic integration acrosslearning areas and grade levels. The threads on the ksas (knowledge, skills
and attitude), entry points in the curriculum and pedagogical practices areinterwoven to make a beautiful tapestry of gced in the Philippine basic
education curriculum. paghabi institutionalizes gced integration in basic
education.
Lastly, paghabi uses the whole school approach to make gced not justintegrated into the intended curriculum but also ingrained in the school
ethos. In this approach, everyone in the learning community and in the
broader community collaborate to achieve the gced outcomes. Teacher
empowerment is an essential part of the process of seamlessly weaving
gced to the Filipino way of life. Teachers must be given curricular guidelines, pedagogical guides, textbooks, or teaching-learning resources on
gced. They should be provided further training and consultation service
to enhance their capacity. Similarly, all members of the school community
must be involved in curriculum development and integration.
To make the development of paghabi effective and impactful, it needed the collaborative and collective efforts of different institutions in laying
and weaving-in numerous threads with DepEd, pnu and apceiu as the main
players along with all others who wanted to be involved in the process.

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A Conceptual Diagram of PAGHABI: The Philippine gced Framework.

In 2021, pnu formally submitted paghabi to DepEd for adoption as thenational framework for gced integration across learning areas. It was usedduring the revision of K to 12 curriculum for kindergarten to Grade 10 (i.e.,
matatag Curriculum). At present, the paghabi framework is also being
used by various schools as basis for their local gced curriculum development and integration initiatives.
Philippine GCED Themes, Topics and Human Rights
Complementing paghabi, pnu faculty members (Professors Carl O.
Dellomos, Serafin A. Arviola, PhD, Rowena R. Hibanada, PhD, Zyralie L.
Bedural, PhD, and Wensley Reyes, PhD) identified themes and topics related to human rights within the Philippine gced context as shown in Table
1. These themes and topics cover local, national, and global dimensions, andalso delve into areas other than human rights such as cultural relations, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic development. Table 1 not
only provides guidance for educators in developing their own exemplars but
also reflects the collaborative efforts of pnu faculty members in developing
a comprehensive resource.

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Table 1. GCED themes and topics in relation to human rights
Themes and Topics
Local, National ,Global Systems,
Structures, andProcesses

Culture andIntercultural
Relations

Environmental
Protection andSustainability

Socio-economic
Development andInterdependence

Institutions,
Conflicts, Social
Justice, andHuman Rights

Underlying
Assumptions andPower Dynamics

Identity Formation,
Protection,
Recognition, andAdvancement inMulticultural
Societies

Environment
and Natural
Resources

Economic
Interaction andInterdependence

Promotion andAdvancement of
Peace

Historical
Development of
Global Systems
and Structures

CulturalExpressions
and Intercultural
Exchanges
and Communication

Environmental
Justice, Risks,and Policies

Inclusivity andEquitable
Development

Political
Participationand Engagement

Interconnectednessof Global, National,
and Local Systems

Diversity,
Coexistence,
Indigenization, andGlocalCommunities

Environmental
Practices andBehaviors

Human Capital
Development andEqual
Opportunities

Human Rights
and Humanitarian
Law

Globalization:
Processes andChallenges

Discrimination basedon Gender,
Ethnicity,
Disabilities,
andReligious Beliefs

ClimateChange,Biodiversity,
andSustainable
Development

Health Issues
AffectingInteraction andConnectedness ofCommunities at
Local, National,
and Global Levels

Prevention ofConflicts, Cultural
Inequities andHate Crimes

Under the theme “Local, National, Global Systems, Structures, andProcesses,” the topic “Historical Development of Global Systems andStructures” include discussion of the international system mainly theUnited Nations human rights system covering international human rights
standards and mechanisms and the subregional systems, namely, the asean
Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (aichr)10 and the asean Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Womenand Children (ACWC)11 with their own set of mechanisms and documents
on various issues.
The topic “Interconnectedness of Global, National, and Local Systems”
covers discussion of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission
on Women of the Philippines and their link to the UN mechanisms such as

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the treaty monitoring bodies and the Universal Periodic Review process andthe aichr and acwc mechanisms.
Under the theme “Culture and Intercultural Relations,” several topics cover human rights. The topics “Identity Formation, Protection,
Recognition, and Advancement in Multicultural Societies” and “Diversity,
Coexistence, Indigenization, and Glocal Communities” covers discussion of
the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (ipra)12 and the work of the National
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (ncip).13
The topic “Discrimination based on Gender, Ethnicity, Disabilities, andReligious Beliefs” covers discussion of national policies and mechanisms ongender, ethnicity, disabilities, and religious beliefs. For Filipinos with disabilities, Presidential Decree 1509 of 1978 (as amended by Presidential Decree1761 of January 4, 1981) creating the National Commission Concerning
Disabled Persons (nccdp)14 is an important content for discussion.
Under the theme “Environmental Protection and Sustainability,” thetopic “Environmental Justice, Risks, and Policies” covers discussion of laws
and mechanisms that protect the rights of indigenous Filipinos as well as
those of upland farmers and subsistence fisherfolk to natural resources aswell as their role in protecting them (e.g., use and protection of the ancestral domain be it land or water resources15). The topic “Climate Change,
Biodiversity, and Sustainable Development” covers discussion of national
development policies on natural resources and sustainable development.
Under theme “Institutions, Conflicts, Social Justice, and Human Rights,”
gced aims to elucidate the roles of various institutions in safeguarding human rights or violating them. It delves into the analysis of conflicts, emphasizing their impact on the rights of individuals and communities, encouraging students to explore solutions through the human rights lens.
The topic “Promotion and Advancement of Peace” which underscores
the inseparable link between peace and human rights, educates students onconflict resolution skills, emphasizing that sustainable peace is contingent
on the protection and promotion of human rights. In the topic of “Political
Participation and Engagement,” elucidates citizenship rights, empowering
students to recognize their role in political processes and stressing the significance of free and fair elections as integral components of human rights.
“Human Rights and Humanitarian Law” forms a critical topic guiding
students through the intricate legal frameworks at both national and international levels. This includes studying human rights law and humanitarian

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law during armed conflict, with a focus on the role of international bodies inenforcing and monitoring human rights standards.
Lastly, the topic “Prevention of Conflicts, Cultural Inequities, and Hate
Crimes” integrates human rights principles into education, advocating forinclusive learning environments that respect and celebrate cultural diversity. Through discussions and projects, students are encouraged to understand, combat, and prevent hate crimes, fostering a culture of tolerance andacceptance.
In essence, gced in the Philippines is a holistic approach to education,intertwining the core principles of human rights across various themes toempower students to become informed, responsible, and proactive global
citizens.
GCED and Human Rights: Legal Policy Support
The key concepts of gced are found in the country’s national goals as stipulated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. The 1987 Constitution contains
the elements of gced such as cultural tolerance, respect for human rights,
social justice, and gender respect and equality. The Preamble of the 1987
Constitution highlights the Filipinos’ aspirations to establish a governmentthat would “promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of independence
and democracy under the rule of law and a regime of truth, justice, freedom,
love, equality, and peace.”16
Other constitutional provisions include Article II (Declaration of
Principles such as renunciation of war; maintenance of peace and order, theprotection of life, liberty, and property; promotion of a just and dynamic
social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nationand free the people from poverty; recognition of the youth and women innation-building; social justice in all phases of national development; protection and advancement of the right of the people to a balanced and healthfulecology. Major parts of the Constitution on safeguards to human rights andsocial justice (i.e., Article III: Bill of Rights; Article XIII: Social Justice andHuman Rights) should be highlighted. Educational institutions are tasked
by the state to ensure that its citizens are instilled with these concepts andvalues as stipulated in Article XIV Section 3, to wit:
[educational institutions] shall inculcate patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights, appre-

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ciation of the role of national heroes in the historical development of the country, teach the rights and duties of citizenship,
strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral characterand personal discipline, encourage critical and creative thinking,broaden scientific and technological knowledge, and promote
vocational efficiency.
Ideals, key concepts and goals of gced are found in the Philippines’
national laws and DepEd issuances on basic education. As early as 1987,
human rights inclusion into the school curriculum was directed throughDepartment Order (DO) 61, s. 1987 - Inclusion of the Study of Human Rights
and Accompanying Responsibilities in the School Curricula. This issuance isfor “education to develop consciousness among the citizenry of the need torespect human rights and to help deter violation.” To further strengthen human rights, schools were directed to celebrate Human Rights Consciousness
Week under DO 31, s. 2003 in compliance with Republic Act No. 9201, An
Act Declaring December 4 to 10 as National Human Rights Consciousness
Week in the Country and for other purposes.17 In 2006, peace education, an
integral part of gced, was promulgated through Executive Order No. 570, s.
2006 – Institutionalizing Peace Education in Basic Education and Teacher
Education, which instructs DepEd to “mainstream peace education in thebasic formal and non-formal education curriculum, utilizing the existing
peace education exemplars and other peace-related modules, and enhance
the knowledge and capability of supervisors, teachers and non-teaching
personnel on peace education through the conduct of in-service trainings.”
The law on the current basic education curriculum, also known as the
Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10533),18 categorically states the direction of education in the Philippines by highlighting the“co-existence” of local and global aims. According to Section 2: “…it is hereby declared the policy of the State that every graduate of basic education
shall be an empowered individual who has learned, through a program thatis rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence,
the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage inwork and be productive, the ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local
and global communities, the capability to engage in autonomous, creative,
and critical thinking, and the capacity and willingness to transform others
and one’s self.”

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In December 2021, RA 11476 also known as the GMRC and Values
Education Act explicitly provides for the teaching of global citizenship alongwith principles that are covered by gced:19
Sec. 5: Coverage of Values Education - It is hereby mandated that Values Education shall be an integral and essential
part of the DepEd’s K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum. Values
Education as herein provided shall encompass universal human, ethical, and moral values, among others. It shall inculcate
among our students the basic tenets of the observance of respect
for oneself, others, and our elders, intercultural diversity, gender
equity, ecology and integrity of creation, peace and justice, obedience to the law, nationalism and global citizenship, as well as
the values of patience, perseverance, industry, honesty and integrity, and good faith in dealing with other human beings alongwith all other universal values.
These enabling laws are testament to the Philippines’ commitment tohuman rights and to facilitating the creation of a humane, peaceful, and sustainable world by making Filipinos responsible and proactive global citizens.
Policy Recommendations
Recognizing the Philippines’ commitment to fostering a culture of respectfor human rights and global citizenship, a policy aimed at integrating gced
and human rights principles into the national educational framework should
be proposed. Emphasizing the fundamental values enshrined in Article 26of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (udhr)20 and Article 13 of theInternational Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (icescr),21
these policy recommendations seek to cultivate an informed, responsible,
and socially conscious citizenry.
Policy Recommendations:
1. Development of curricular guidelines
Development of comprehensive curricular guidelines that embed gced
principles, encompassing themes such as institutions, conflicts, social justice, human rights, promotion and advancement of peace, political partici-Global Citizenship Education in the Philippines: Adaptations and Innovations

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pation and engagement, human rights and humanitarian law, and the prevention of conflicts, cultural inequities and hate crimes.
• Rationale: Recognizing the interconnectedness of global issues, thisis a policy on continuing and substantial incorporation of gced in
the curriculums.
2. Professional development
Implementation of targeted professional development programs, workshops, and courses that empower educators to integrate gced themes into
their teaching methodologies.
• Rationale: Acknowledging the pivotal role of educators, this policyemphasizes the need for specialized training to equip teachers withthe knowledge and skills necessary for effective gced delivery.
3. Integration of human rights education into the school curriculum
Integration of human rights education into existing subjects, dedicating
specific modules to explore the principles outlined in the udhr and icescr.
Promote extracurricular activities that enhance students’ understanding of
human rights issues.
• Rationale: Aligned with Article 26 of the udhr, which underscores the right to education for the full development of humanpersonality, this policy strengthens the promotion of human rights
awareness among students that DepEd started three decades ago
on human rights integration, by having identified themes and topics based on Philippine context that link human rights to gced
principles.
4. Collaborative mechanisms with other institutions
Establishment of collaborative mechanisms among NGOs, UN agencies,
and other relevant entities to share resources, expertise, and best practices
in implementing gced and human rights education programs.
• Rationale: Recognizing the importance of collaboration, this is apolicy on partnerships with civil society organizations and international bodies to enrich gced initiatives and human rights
education.
5. Assessment and measurement of impact
Development of assessment tools and criteria to measure the impact ofgced and human rights education initiatives, with the results informing ongoing improvements and adjustments.

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Rationale: Ensuring accountability and effectiveness, this is a policy
on regular assessment and monitoring mechanisms to evaluate
the integration of gced and human rights education in the school
system.

These policy recommendations are meant to solidify the Philippines’
commitment to gced and human rights principles, aligning with international standards set forth in the udhr and icescr. By adopting these measures, we aspire to nurture a generation of Filipino citizens who are not only
academically proficient but also socially responsible, respectful of humanrights, and globally aware, contributing to a more just and interconnectedworld.
Insights and Observations
gced in the Philippines has emerged as a vital medium in promoting human rights awareness and education. The gced initiatives so far undertaken
reflect a conscious effort of instilling a sense of responsibility and respectfor human rights at both local and global levels. Noteworthy is the integration of diverse themes such as institutions, conflicts, social justice, humanrights, and topics such as promotion and advancement of peace, politicalparticipation and engagement, human rights and humanitarian law, and theprevention of conflicts, cultural inequities, and hate crimes in the basic education curriculum to learn about gced. These themes are strategically woven into the educational fabric, fostering a comprehensive understanding of
global issues among students. The integration project underwent a rigorous
process, where curriculum experts from the DepEd and various teis collaborated on the integration of gced and human rights into the curriculum,and validation by experts from various fields. Afterwards, exemplars weredeveloped to facilitate teacher’s teaching practice.
The initiatives and innovations implemented in the Philippines arecommendable. The curriculum adjustments that incorporate gced themes
and human rights principles showcase a commitment to producing sociallyconscious and informed citizens. Moreover, the emphasis on teacher training ensures that educators are equipped to effectively deliver gced content, creating a multiplier effect in reaching a broader student population.
Partnerships with civil society organizations and international bodies fur-Global Citizenship Education in the Philippines: Adaptations and Innovations

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ther enrich the educational experience, providing students with real-world
insights into the application of human rights principles.
The link between gced and human rights in the Philippines is intrinsic to cultivating a generation that not only comprehends the theoreticalaspects of human rights but is also actively engaged in promoting and upholding these principles. The integration of human rights themes within the
broader gced framework serves as a bridge between theoretical knowledge
and practical application, preparing students to become advocates for justice, equality, and peace. By nurturing a culture of respect for diversity, inclusivity, and social responsibility, these initiatives lay the foundation for asociety that values and safeguards the rights of every individual.
In conclusion, the initiatives undertaken in the Philippines regarding
gced and human rights education exemplify a progressive and holistic approach to shaping the next generation of global citizens. The intentional
fusion of these themes into the educational landscape reflects the nation’scommitment to fostering not only academic excellence but also a deepseated respect for human rights. As the Philippines continues to innovateand expand these initiatives, the ripple effect is anticipated to contributesignificantly to a more just, interconnected, and rights-respecting society,both nationally and globally.
Endnotes
1 Goal 4 of the SDGs pertains to the achievement of inclusive and equitable
quality education. Target 4.7 stipulates that global citizenship, along with education
for sustainable development, gender equality and human rights, should be mainstreamed and integrated in national education policies, curriculums, teacher education and student assessment.
2 Department of Education, DepEd to bolster peace, global
citizenshipeducation,(2018),
www.deped.gov.ph/2018/08/30/
deped-to-bolster-peace-global-citizenship-education/.
3 Department of Education, ibid.
4 The Safe Schools Declaration, https://ssd.protectingeducation.org/.
5 Safe Schools Declaration, Right to Education, www.right-to-education.org/
resource/safe-schools-declaration.
6 For more information, visit the website of GCC at https://gced.pnu.edu.ph/.
7 See Kick-Off Meeting for GCED Curriculum Development andIntegration, APCEIU, 12 April 2019, www.gcedclearinghouse.org/news/
kick-meeting-gced-curriculum-development-and-integration?language=en.
8 The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (1987), www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/1987-constitution/.

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9 See full text of Executive Order 570 (2006), Institutionalizing Peace
Education in Basic Education and Teacher Education, in www.officialgazette.gov.
ph/2006/09/26/executive-order-no-570-s-2006/.
10 ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR),
https://aichr.org/about-aichr-2/.
11 ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of
Women and Children (ACWC), https://acwc.asean.org/.
12 See text of The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 in www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1997/10/29/republic-act-no-8371/.
13 See National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), https://ncip.gov.
ph/.
14 See National Commission Concerning Disabled Persons (NCCDP), https://ncda.gov.ph/.
15 A good example is the ancestral domain of the Tagbanwa in Palawanthat includes the water surrounding the island where the indigenous community resides. See The Ancestral Lands and Waters of the Indigenous Tagbanwa
Communities of Northern Palawan, https://chr-observatories.uwazi.io/api/
files/1589915210176lt7irghr12b.pdf.
16 The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, op. cit.
17 Republic Act No. 9201, An Act Declaring December 4 to 10 as National
Human Rights Consciousness Week in the Country and for Other Purposes, 2003,
www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2003/04/01/republic-act-no-9201/.
18 Republic Act No. 10533, An Act Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education
System by Strengthening Its Curriculum and Increasing the Number of Years for
Basic Education, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes, 2013, www.
officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/.
19 Republic Act No.11476, An Act Institutionalizing Good Manners and Right
Conduct and Values Education in the K TO 12 curriculum, appropriating funds
therefor, and for other purposes, 2020, www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2020/06/25/
republic-act-no-11476/.
20 Article 26 (2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:
Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendshipamong all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activitiesof the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, www.un.org/en/about-us/
universal-declaration-of-human-rights.
21 Article 13 (1), of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, andCultural Rights states:
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right ofeveryone to education. They agree that education shall be directed to thefull development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity, andshall strengthen the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
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among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious groups, and further theactivities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
International
Covenanton
Economic,
Social,andCulturalRights,www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/
international-covenant-economic-social-and-cultural-rights.