From around P30 billion in 2022, the Department of Education (DepEd) said that direct funding for public schools nationwide has more than doubled to a proposed P61.02 billion under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The increase in school-level Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) is included in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposed P975.96-billion budget for 2027 under the NEP, which recently passed plenary deliberations in the House of Representatives.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara emphasized that direct school funding through the MOOE remains a cornerstone of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to revitalize basic education.
‘Malinaw ang bilin ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos: siguraduhing ramdam at napapakinabangan ng ating mga guro at mag-aaral sa bawat paaralan ang bawat piso ng ating pondo…By simplifying our funding formulas and steadily expanding per-learner operational support, we are removing unnecessary bottlenecks so our school administrators and teachers can focus on teaching rather than worrying about basic school upkeep,’ Angara said.
This trajectory is reflected in steady multi-year increases in per-learner MOOE allocations across all grade levels.
Under the proposed 2027 DepEd budget, per learner MOOE allocations for elementary schools (Kindergarten to Grade 6) will reach P2,982, up from P2,792 in 2026, P2,140 in 2025, and P1,389 in 2024.
Junior High Schools (Grades 7 to 10) will receive P2,744 per learner under the proposed 2027 budget, up from P2,631 in 2026, P2,201 in 2025, and P1,844 in 2024.
Meanwhile, Senior High Schools (Grades 11 to 12) will see per-learner operational support rise to PHP 3,558 under the proposed 2027 budget, compared to P3,264 in 2026, P2,784 in 2025, and P2,306 in 2024.
In total, school operating budgets under the proposed FY 2027 NEP reach P61.02 billion, up from P60.89 billion allocated under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
To make budget distribution faster and more equitable, DepEd is fully implementing the Simplified Normative Funding Formula (SNFF). The new system replaces the former rigid allocation formula which relied on fixed allocations based on multiple parameters that made computations detailed yet overly complex.
Rather than focusing purely on fixed per capita unit costs, the normative approach uses enrollment and baseline school data to ensure every school receives the operational funding needed to maintain basic service standards.
DepEd reiterated that the sustained increase in school-level MOOE, alongside the adoption of the SNFF, underscores its long-term commitment to keeping all public schools safe, functional, and well-resourced.