The Department of Education (abbreviated as DepEd; Filipino: Kagawaran ng Edukasyon) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for ensuring access to, promoting equity in, and improving the quality of basic education. It is the main agency tasked to manage and govern the Philippine system of basic education. It is the chief formulator of Philippine education policy and responsible for the Philippine primary and secondary school systems. It has its headquarters at the DepEd Complex in Meralco Avenue, Pasig.The department is currently led by the secretary of education, nominated by the president of the Philippines and confirmed by the Commission on Appointments. The secretary is a member of the Cabinet. The current secretary of education is Leonor Briones Presently, its mission is to provide quality basic education that is equitably accessible to all and lay the foundation for lifelong learning and service for the common good. It has changed its vision statement, removing a phrase that some groups deem to be "too sectarian" for a government institution.
Theater arts serves as a transformative space that nurtures both personal growth and collective well-being. Beyond performance, theater fosters flourishing through embodied storytelling, mindfulness, and reflection, enabling participants to regulate emotions, build resilience, and strengthen empathy. Within the university curriculum, theater integrates creativity, collaboration, and cultural engagement, preparing students with essential life skills while affirming identity and community. Rooted in Filipino values and supported by global practices such as drama therapy and applied theater, it emerges as a holistic tool for education and healing. Ultimately, theater cultivates authenticity, resilience, and connection, making it central to human flourishing.
In tertiary education, dance functions as both an artistic discipline and a psychosocial tool for cultivating joy, meaning, and emotional resilience. Drawing from positive psychology, existentialism, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), dance education fosters autonomy, competence, relatedness, mindfulness, optimism, and gratitude. Joy arises through embodied presence, creative self-expression, flow states, and cultural connection, supported by neurobiological benefits. Integrating these principles enhances performance, emotional intelligence, resilience, and social cohesion, positioning dance as a transformative and holistic practice for student flourishing in higher education.
This chapter examines the integration of Physical Education (PE) within the Philippine Life and Career Skills (LCS) curriculum, emphasizing its role in cultivating transferable competencies for personal, academic, and professional success. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT), PE is framed as a laboratory for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, while fostering expectancy and task value. Structured sports, fitness programs, and culturally grounded activities such as Laro ng Lahi develop resilience, leadership, teamwork, and emotional regulation. Intentional pedagogical design, reflection, and scaffolding ensure that these life skills transfer to workplace readiness, holistic well-being, and lifelong development.
This chapter examines the critical role of sport as a catalyst for community welfare and social development, emphasizing how government-led sports programs and initiatives contribute to enhancing physical health, mental well-being, social cohesion, and civic engagement. Sport is increasingly recognized not merely as a recreational or competitive activity but as a powerful tool for promoting inclusion, equity, and resilience within communities. Across the globe, governments invest in organized sports programs—from local youth leagues to national initiatives to foster physical activity, reduce social inequalities, strengthen communal bonds, and develop leadership and teamwork skills among participants.
Senior High School (SHS) students today face complex emotional, academic, and social pressures that challenge their well-being and resilience. This chapter explores how Physical Education (PE) can serve as a curricular pathway to wellness by integrating structured physical exercises that enhance emotional agility, resilience, and career readiness. Drawing on empirical evidence and the Life and Career Skills Curriculum, it proposes three dimensions of application: (1) intrapersonal development through mindful movement, resilience-based workouts, and reflective practices; (2) interpersonal growth via cooperative tasks and culturally rooted games such as Laro ng Lahi that foster communication, empathy, and teamwork; and (3) career preparedness through exercise models simulating workplace challenges, adaptability, and stress regulation. Grounded in the whole-person framework, this approach reframes PE as a transformative platform for psychosocial learning, aligning physical activity with holistic education, cultural identity, and lifelong well-being.
