Education is a fundamental catalyst for social justice in the Philippines, imploding systematic inequalities such as poverty. It is also a tool for individuals to study and foster societal change. Nonetheless, the vast gap in the education system of the state disrupts achieving social equity, resulting in inaccessible quality education, economic disparities, and regional inequalities, bounding the marginalized community into challenging competition with the affluent. Tackling education issues is vital to society’s growth.  

In this time of oppression and marginalization, Kara David’s documentaries are an eye-opener for bringing societal issues to light, specifically injustice in the education of Filipino youth—particularly those in impoverished communities—disregarding human rights. For instance, her documentary “Diskarteng Bata” (2019) shows the harsh realities of the children forced to work at the expense of their education when they barely survive. The Filipino adage, “Isang kahig, isang tuka,” describes that most households experience—barely earning income to sustain their needs and wants. As a result,  numerous students are compelled not to attend school to earn money and assist the financial needs of their families. The Philippine Statistics Authority (2024) reports that 15.5% of roughly 17.54 million Filipinos live in poverty, implying the issue’s urgency.  

The disparities in the Philippine education system have become more prominent, showing the difference between the urban and rural areas. ChildHope Philippines Foundation (2023) stated that 49% of the higher-margin Filipinos have access to quality education, and only 17% of underprivileged students do. Learners from the urbanized areas (city) benefit more from facilities, trained and experienced teachers, and tailored programs, preparing them for advanced education and competitive employment. These advantages extend beyond economic success but serve as a pathway to dignity, self-fulfillment, and a brighter future. In contrast, students from rural areas have fewer opportunities as they do not have resources for programs that help their growth and development due to insufficient funding, outdated educational materials, and limited access to technology. These discrepancies hinder their skills and expertise development, ultimately perpetuating economic disparities and restricting social advancement. Notably, based on the World Food Program (2024), approximately 73.4% of the Indigenous People live in rural areas where education is limited, emphasizing the educational gap in the country further. 

Consequently, social injustice arises from these issues in the academic system among the Filipino youth. Issues of marginalization, oppression, discrimination, and bias begin to hinder the youth from living their life and practicing their rights at their full potential—being the catalysts for social progress in the country. The division between the wealthy and the poor in terms of educational accessibility indicates the deprivation of rights, enforcing social injustice. Recognizing their struggle, Kara David uses her platform to be the voice of youth and marginalized communities through uncovering social injustice in the Philippines. Her fight for social justice aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions for the rights of every Filipino, promoting social awareness.  

The perpetuation of social injustice in the Philippine education system is evident in the challenges faced by the Indigenous People in their academe. Have you ever wondered why it is surprising for most Filipinos to hear a student part of an Indigenous group graduating or given an opportunity to study at a university? For example, Norman King made a historical record for being the first Indigenous Aeta to graduate from the University of the Philippines Manila in 2017. 

The infrequent news of Indigenous people graduating from state universities indicates an educational gap in the Philippines with inconsistent access to education, cultivating epistemic injustice. Epistemic injustice is related to the capacity or ability of an individual to acquire, comprehend, and share information and knowledge critical to students’ personal development and participation in their academics as well as their future jobs—which minority groups like Indigenous People are prone to (Dacela et al., 2023). Language barriers are one of the factors that restrict these students from engaging in the academe, as they struggle with using the English language in the learning materials. Another is cultural incompetency, as academic institutions fail to integrate Indigenous knowledge, traditions, and languages into the curriculum, and according to Biana et al. (2021), teachers frequently fail to meet the necessary cultural competencies to teach Indigenous People effectively. Furthermore, according to Mendoza & Supan (2023), Indigenous students experience racial discrimination, including verbal abuse (they get called “baluga,” a derogatory term), social inclusions (from the group activities), and physical violence (being hit or thrown stones toward them), affecting their mental health.   

Due to the marginalization and discrimination experienced by the Indigenous students,  Mindanao—where 61% of Indigenous individuals live-–ranked low in enrollment rates among the three major island groups and ranked high in dropout rates of students (Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 2019).  

The authorities implemented laws and programs but were ineffective in sustaining the needs of the Indigenous people. In 2011, the Department of Education implemented a program called Indigenous Peoples Education or IPEd by the Department of Education to provide inclusive and accessible education to Indigenous communities while respecting and integrating Indigenous knowledge, traditions, and identity. However, many teachers fail to meet the cultural competency of teaching Indigenous students effectively, which contradicts the program’s goal (Biana et al., 2021, as cited by Dacela et al., 2023). The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 is also poorly implemented, leading to tokenistic assistance rather than academic development. Many of the students suffer from inaccessible schools, education costs, and prejudice and discrimination, preventing them from enjoying the learning experience. Consequently, this limits their awareness of their educational rights, worsening their marginalization (Eduardo & Gabriel, 2021). Even with the existence of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 and the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Curriculum Framework (implemented by DepEd in 2011), the language barrier and cultural incompetency limiting the students from inclusive education demonstrates the ineffectiveness of policy implementation as the students fail to understand and engage in the educational system fully (Eduardo & Gabriel, 2024, and Biana et al., 2021).   

This indicates that they do not enjoy human rights as they should as part of society, hindering the country from developing by perpetuating social inequality among its people. The discrimination and marginalization received by Indigenous People often lead to school dropouts or absences, 

limiting their access to higher education, which shows the influence it has on the academic performance and self-esteem of Indigenous students. Furthermore, the loss of indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage due to education barriers divests the nation of valuable traditions and sustainable practices. 

As the educational crisis in the Philippines persisted, Kara David stepped up from her zone. She helped the children and the underprivileged through work and services, demonstrating her humility and compassion towards the people and the country.  

But first, who is Kara David?

Kara David was born with a purpose. She is the second child of two advocates—Professor Emeritus Randy David and former Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, Karina Constantino-David. Kara David started her career as a journalist on GMA Network as a production assistant, performing different tasks on the newsroom desk, before becoming a news reporter when Jesica Soho (host and network’s Defense reporter) called her to interview the victims of sinking vessels in Oriental Mindoro. From being part of a lighthearted one-minute segment in an early evening newscast called Saksi, she became one of the hosts of I-Witness after being inspired by the documentary of Ditsi Carolino entitled “Minsan Lang Sila Bata,” which is about child labor in the Philippines. According to her, out of all her documentary subjects, the Indigenous People living in the mountain changed her perspective on life when she offered them money, when the Mangyan provided first aid using the medical herb to one of her team members after sustaining an injury, and rejected her. For the Mangyan, money does not have value; what is important is that you help, shifting her view to them as most lowlanders see people living in the mountains as needing education and help, which is the other way around.   

She has expressed compassion and devotion to tackling social injustices and seeking justice. Kara David used her capability to fight for the rights of the voiceless and was an eye-opener for those who were blind, spreading awareness of social issues that the country still endures. Her documentaries have captured the lives of Filipino individuals, especially the marginalized communities. For instance, one of her works, “Kabihug” (2016), represents the struggles of Kabihug tribes in Camarines Norte, living with scarce resources while preserving their culture. Through this documentary, it can be seen the willingness they have to learn to chase their dreams. Sadly, due to limited income, they could not buy shoes everyone in their school had, affecting their self-esteem (always standing at the back of the lane). Despite the discrimination and prejudice they faced, they did not let these challenges to excel in their academics.  

Although Kara David has shed light on critical issues through journalism, media-led advocacy has its challenges. Multiple critics argue that media reports exposing the realities of marginalized communities frequently result in media sensationalism, where the hardships of marginalized communities are frequently highlighted or exaggerated for the sake of attention and engagement by stirring the emotions of the viewers instead of focusing on effective laws and programs (Arguedas, et al., 2023). As said earlier, government responses are often slow and ineffective for marginalized communities, where social changes remain challenging to achieve. Nevertheless, Kara David’s works have created social awareness, encouraged donations, and thrived for social change by empathizing with struggling people. 

Witnessing the struggle of her kababayan prompted her to go beyond producing stories and journalism. She established Project Malasakit in 2002 to provide educational assistance to poor Filipino children. The foundation provides scholarships and community outreach programs, providing essential resources such as food, medicine, and school materials to remote communities lacking government services. Project Malasakit currently supports 25 scholars, most of whom are former child laborers or abuse victims, and has benefited more than 800 families through its programs (“About Kara,” n.d.). According to her, cited by Malig (2021), some scholars became teachers, accountants, and seamen. Kara David is also a professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, bestowing her extensive knowledge in journalism to the next generation of reporters. Her commitment to education extends to digital platforms, as she proactively shares insights. 

In the crisis of the perpetuation of social injustice in the Philippines that has cost the lives of millions of people, Kara David’s relentless pursuit of truth and justice through journalism highlights the power of storytelling in shaping public awareness. The education gap in the Indigenous communities is a testament to the inequality in the country that the youth is fighting for as students still struggle to have accessible and inclusive education, which is essential to their personal development and building their knowledge and potential to participate and be part of the economy, must be recognized and addressed.  

However, awareness alone is not enough. Fighting for educational equity requires more than exposure—it demands collective action. As citizens, we must acknowledge and address these issues to create effective alternative solutions. Kara David not only sought the truth and told the stories of the victims of injustices in the Philippines, but she also used her platforms to express her sympathy for them as she helped people with her projects—like Project Malasakit and documentaries—and shared her knowledge with the community being an educator. Supporting initiatives like these are a bridge to the educational gap of youth. Education is a fundamental human right, yet millions of Filipino youth—particularly those part of marginalized communities—remain struggling from accessing to quality learning opportunities. It is a tool that every Filipino must have, regardless of their status and identity. Towards a meaningful change, we must hold ourselves accountable first. It is a must to be knowledgeable of these pressing issues that the country is drowning from, as those struggling continue to suffer from an unjust system, which we cannot dismiss and pay no heed to. Educating ourselves helps us recognize the rights of each and every one of us. We can identify that our criticisms are not just about seeing the wrong but also about recognizing the rights denied to us. Then, we must hold the supposed leaders accountable through demand for equity and inclusivity. 

The future of our nation is in the hands of educated and empowered youth. We must speak up and ensure that our voices are heard for those oppressed in the pursuit of knowledge and a better future. Injustice thrives in silence, but together, we can end the loop of disparity and establish a society where every Filipino is treated with respect and dignity.