₱149.67 Billion More for Education: DepEd Appeals for Bigger 2027 Budget
DEPED – A major budget request from DepEd has drawn attention in the Senate, particularly over concerns about the lack of a dedicated allocation for a program aimed at addressing students’ learning difficulties.
The Department of Education (DepEd) and its attached agencies have requested an additional ₱149.67 billion for their proposed 2027 budget, citing the need to strengthen education programs, improve personnel support, and address students’ learning gaps.
During a briefing before the Senate finance subcommittee on Friday, DepEd sought an additional ₱147.93 billion, while its attached agencies requested a combined ₱1.74 billion.
The agencies include the National Book Development Board, National Council for Children’s Television, National Museum of the Philippines, Philippine High School for the Arts, National Academy of Sports, and Teacher Education Council.
Under the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) approved by the House of Representatives, the combined budget of DepEd and its attached agencies reached ₱969.79 billion, which was ₱6.17 billion below the amount proposed under the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
If approved, the additional funding would support personnel improvements, the acquisition of metal detectors and perimeter fences, and the Academic Recovery and Access Learning (ARAL) program, among other priorities.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara requested ₱15.6 billion for ARAL, a remediation initiative designed to help students improve their skills in reading, mathematics, and science. The program currently has no dedicated budget allocation.
“We know from international assessments and from national assessments that we have been doing very poorly over the years. And so it’s very timely that the ARAL law was passed. And so now we have a clear basis for a program that will provide remediation for Reading, for Mathematics, and for Science po. Unfortunately, the law is unfunded,” DepEd Undersecretary Carmela Oracion said.
Sen. Joel Villanueva criticized the absence of funding, calling the situation unacceptable. Sen. Erwin Tulfo also questioned the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) about why the program received zero funding in the NEP.
DBM Director IV Vivien Labastilla explained that ARAL had no separate budget line but was covered under funding for textbooks and other instructional materials.
Angara clarified that the existing allocation was insufficient because DepEd’s regular budget had not increased in previous years. He emphasized the need for a dedicated budget item to properly implement the ARAL Law.
Senate President Win Gatchalian said he would propose creating a separate line item for the program.
Meanwhile, subcommittee chairperson Sen. Bam Aquino raised concerns over the House’s reduction of DepEd’s proposed budget. He urged lawmakers to prioritize classrooms and feeding programs over controversial projects.
Aquino also called for restoring education spending to 4% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Angara welcomed the proposal, noting that UNESCO recommends education spending equivalent to 4% to 6% of GDP.
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