An email from a DeEd official to me: "Without preempting the Department's official announcement regarding PISA 2018, let me confirm that 1) the PISA Governing Board has approved the participation of the Philippines in PISA 2018 and 2) the DepEd have started with the necessary preparations for this endeavor. An official issuance regarding this matter will be made by the DepEd early next year. Aside from PISA, the Department is also exploring the possibility of participating in other international large-scale assessments in the coming years."