FOLLOWING THE SWIFT approval of the P1.28 trillion 2026 budget by the House of Representatives for the education sector, the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), a non-profit organization founded by business leaders in 2006, cited the need for full transparency on how allocated funds would be spent.
Considered a record high by House Appropriations chair Mikaela Suansing, the lady legislator said P914.14 billion would be earmarked for the Department of Education (DepEd).
PBEd Executive Director Bal Camua said “the growing investment in the education sector is a welcome development, but without clear data on how funds will be distributed and used, it remains difficult to assess whether the budget will lead to meaningful improvements in learning outcomes.”
BEYOND BUDGET HIKE
PBEd emphasized that beyond simply increasing the budget, the funds must be used strategically and backed by evidence to address the most urgent gaps in the system, including building more classrooms, hiring more teachers and school heads, improving access to learning materials, expanding feeding programs, and sustaining initiatives such as free higher education.
“As the budget process moves forward, we recommend that Congress and key government agencies — including the Department of Budget and Management — provide clear, detailed, and accessible information not only on how education funds will be allocated and what outcomes are expected, but also on the methodology used to determine that the allocation meets the four percent of GDP benchmark,” Camua said.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recommends that countries allocate 4–6% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to education, a standard PBEd says the Philippines has consistently failed to meet.
“A whole-of-society approach — rooted in transparency, systematic planning, and shared accountability — is crucial to transforming budget allocations into real improvements that empower every Filipino learner to succeed and contribute to national development,” Camua added.
EDUCATION BREAKDOWN
Of the said amount, P928.52 billion, or the largest share of the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, will go to the Department of Education (DepEd). Additionally, P134.99 billion is earmarked for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), P34.00 billion for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and P20.24 billion for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), explained Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
“This is a first, and we want to thank the President for supporting us as we ensure that the government immediately responds to the crisis in nutrition and early childhood development,” Secretary Pangandaman added.
Pangandaman, who chairs the Development Budget Coordinating Committee, shared how the government is implementing the Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) Approach—an inter-agency effort to eliminate program duplication and align targets, beneficiaries, resources, and timelines across agencies, as directed by the President.
SECURING BETTER FUTURE
Among the new PCB programs introduced for FY 2026 is the Building Early Growth through Integrated Nurturing (BEGIN) Program, which aims to address stunting and other recommendations in the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM2) Year II Report.
She called on Congress to support the government’s goal of securing a better future for Filipino children: “Together, let us take immediate action to fight child malnutrition, address the learning crisis, and support our youth in fulfilling their dreams.”