THE Department of Education (DepEd) has proposed a P975.96-billion budget for 2027, along with a request for P145.19 billion in additional funding for ‘critical programs.’
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara led the presentation before the House Committee on Appropriations for the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
In a statement, Angara stressed the need to sustain ‘critical reforms’ in the education sector while providing greater support to teachers and learners.
‘Our Fiscal Year 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,’ he said.
Under the proposed NEP, the allocation for Personnel Services increased by 8.64 percent to P766.74 billion, covering salaries and career progression.
Among the department’s ‘core thrusts’ are P12.09 billion for promoting more than 135,000 teachers and school heads under the Expanded Career Progression system, or ECP; P17.31 billion for constructing 4,900 new classrooms; and P7.33 billion for repairing 11,100 classrooms.
About P801.5 million is also proposed to hire 1,800 school counselor associates and 221 Schools Division Office counselors.
Meanwhile, the allocation for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses declined by 15.9 percent to P174.32 billion, while Capital Outlay fell by 67.49 percent to P32.34 billion.
DepEd proposed P6.4 billion for textbooks and instructional materials, P10.81 billion for learning recovery under the Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization program, and P2.63 billion for Inclusive Education programs.
For the School-Based Feeding Program, the department proposed P11.43 billion to support 3.69 million learners, covering all Kindergarten pupils and wasted or severely wasted learners from Grade 1 and above.
It also proposed P38.12 billion to support 2.32 million private education voucher and subsidy grantees.
The remaining P2.56 billion is divided among six attached agencies: These include P1.56 billion for the National Museum of the Philippines; P360.28 million for the Teacher Education Council; P258.48 million for the National Academy of Sports; P169.96 million for the National Book Development Board; P135.28 million for the Philippine High School for the Arts; and P76.01 million for the National Council for Children’s Television.
Additional funding sought
ANGARA also sought additional funding for ‘critical programs’ that remain unfunded under the 2027 NEP.
‘It’ll slow it down a little bit. But we are hoping for the restoration of some items,’ he said in an interview, referring to the request for a supplemental budget. He added: ‘We have an appeal… With or without an item, we have to find it actually.’
The education secretary was referring to P145.19 billion in additional funding sought for the DepEd and P1.74 billion for its attached agencies.
Among the priority areas is the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program or ARAL, for which the department is seeking P15.98 billion to fund honoraria for teaching overload, training for DepEd tutors, compensation for external tutors, learning resources, the ARAL Summer Program, learning recovery and remediation consultations, and program management.
The department is also seeking P50 million for the Bayang Bumabasa initiative. It is also requesting an additional P49.16 billion to hire 14,274 teachers and around 59,000 non-teaching personnel.
Unfunded measures also include school safety and security, for which it proposes P8.68 billion. They include P5.05 billion for school security guards, P2.31 billion for metal detectors and scanners, and P1.5 billion for perimeter fences.
Other areas covered by the supplementary funding request include classroom construction, repairs and rehabilitation; expansion of the SBFP; learner assistance and subsidies; health and mental health services; guidance programs; sports development; and expanded support for learners with special needs, Madrasah learners, Indigenous Peoples learners, and those in far-flung areas, among others.