By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Aligning the agency’s need for sufficient financial resources with the administration’s push towards enhancing the education sector, the Department of Education (DepEd) presented a proposed budget of P975.96 billion to the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday.
In the hearing, Education Secretary Sonny Angara explained the importance of sustaining various programs while ensuring unhampered core operations in justifying the proposed budget in the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Sec. Angara addressed the lawmakers, “For next year, we aim to build on the progress we have achieved over the past four years. Our FY 2027 budget proposal builds on the reforms we have already started and focuses on key investments needed to further improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of basic education for every Filipino learner.”
The items listed under the proposed NEP allocation were as follows:
- Personnel Services (P766.74 billion)
- Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (P174.32 billion)
- Capital Outlay (P32.34 billion)
- National Museum of the Philippines (P1.56 billion)
- Teacher Education Council (P360.28 million)
- National Academy of Sports (P258.48 million)
- National Book Development Board (P169.96 million)
- Philippine High School for the Arts (P135.28 million)
- National Council for Children’s Television (P76.01 million)
- Expanded Career Progression (ECP) system (P12.09 billion)
- Construction of more than 4,900 new classrooms (P17.31 billion)
- Repair of 11,100 classrooms (P7.33 billion)
- Provision for textbooks and teaching materials (P6.4 billion)
- Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization (PLUS-D) program (P10.81 billion)
- School-Based Feeding Program for 3.69 million students (P11.43 billion)
- Funds for 2.32 million beneficiaries of private school vouchers and subsidies (P38.12 billion)
- Hiring of 1,800 School Counselor Associates and 221 Schools Division Office Counselors (P801.5 million)
A close look at these items shows how the DepEd seeks to address significant shortfalls faced by teachers and students nationwide, as well as maintain responsiveness in ensuring that learners and educators have access to quality education and the resources they need.
Moreover, at the same hearing, the Education Chief called for an additional P145.19 billion for DepEd and P1.74 billion for its attached agencies, which would fund critical programs not included in the baseline budget.
Foremost among these is the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which received no funding in the 2027 NEP despite its positive results during School Year 2025–2026.
During that year, the number of students classified as struggling readers dropped from 6.7 million to 2.2 million, while the number of children reading at the appropriate grade level rose from 3.3 million to 5.8 million.
As such, these are the items that would be funded through DepEd’s supplemental request:
- ARAL Program (P15.98 billion)
- Bayang Bumabasa initiative (P50 million)
- Financial and equipment support for teachers and non-teaching staff (P49.16 billion)
- Construction of 1,500 new classrooms (P37.75 billion)
- School security (P8.68 billion)
- Security guards (P5.05 billion)
- Metal detectors and walkthrough scanners (P2.31 billion)
- Perimeter fences (P1.5 billion)
- Expansion of School-Based Feeding Program, student assistance and subsidies, health and mental health services, guidance programs, and sports development (P40.33 billion)
- Support for students with special needs, those in Madrasah schools, indigenous learners, and students in hard-to-reach communities (P983.8 million)
The list includes some noteworthy items, which come as a timely response to the recent spate of school shooting incidents and other acts of violence that have rattled campuses nationwide, reinforcing the message that the government remains on top of all matters concerning education.
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