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Abstract <br/><br/><br/>While teachers' ICT instructional competence provides the foundation for digital learning, students' actual digital competence often hinges more on access, hands-on practice, and self-directed engagement than on teacher proficiency alone. This study assessed the relationship between teachers' Information and Communications Technology (ICT) instructional competence and students' digital learning competence in a selected public secondary school in the Schools Division of Antique for School Year 2025-2026. Guided by the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (ICT-CFT v.3) and the EU DigComp Framework, the research examined how teachers' competence in pedagogical integration, technical skills, curriculum and assessment design, professional development, and policy and ethical awareness relates to students' proficiency in operational skills, information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, critical and ethical use, and creative content creation.<br/><br/>Using a descriptive-comparative-correlational research design, the study involved 61 teachers and 320 students selected through random sampling. Data were gathered using two validated and reliable researcher-made instruments aligned with international ICT standards. Descriptive statistics, t-test, One-Way ANOVA, LSD test, and Pearson's r were employed to analyze the data.<br/><br/>The results of this study indicate that teachers' ICT instructional competence does not have a statistically significant relationship with students' digital learning competence across all measured dimensions. Although teachers demonstrated generally high levels of competence in pedagogical integration, operational skills, curriculum and assessment design, professional learning development, and policy and ethical awareness, these capabilities did not translate into measurable differences in students' digital skills. Likewise, students' levels of operational proficiency, information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, critical and ethical use, and creative content creation were not significantly associated with the ICT competence of their teachers.<br/><br/>These findings suggest that factors other than teacher ICT competence may play a more substantial role in shaping students' digital learning competence. Factors such as students' access to devices, daily gadget use, socio-economic conditions, and length of digital exposure may exert stronger influence on their digital learning skill development. The absence of a significant relationship also suggests that teacher ICT instructional competence, though important for quality instruction, may not be the sole determinant of students' digital learning competence outcomes, especially in contexts where students' digital experiences extend beyond the classroom.<br/><br/>Based on the findings, an ICT-Based Training Program was developed to strengthen teachers' pedagogical integration, digital assessment practices, and sustained professional learning. The study emphasizes the crucial role of teacher instructional competence in shaping students' digital readiness and highlights the need for sustained professional development, equitable digital access, and structured ICT integration in public secondary schools.<br/><br/>Keywords: ICT instructional competence, Digital learning competence, professional development, pedagogical integration, digital assessment practices |