Manila: Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Monday expressed hopes for a promising year ahead as the sector received a historic budget to advance education reforms. Angara made the statement after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the PHP6.79 trillion 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), with the Department of Education (DepEd) securing PHP1.015 trillion in funds, marking the first time the Philippines reached the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) benchmark for education spending.
According to Philippines News Agency, Angara noted, "We are looking at a very promising 2026 for the education sector," highlighting the acceleration of program and support deliveries, classroom constructions, and intensified digitalization. He expressed gratitude to President Marcos for his steadfast support, which Angara believes will make educational reforms more effective and noticeable this year.
Under the record-high fund, the DepEd is allocated PHP85.3 billion to tackle the persistent issue of classroom backlog. Of this budget, PHP65 billion will be used to construct 24,964 new classrooms, while PHP7.7 billion will be dedicated to the repair and rehabilitation of existing school buildings. To ensure transparency and faster implementation of school building programs, DepEd plans to pursue partnerships with local government units and private sector partners through Public-Private Partnerships.
The agency has been granted PHP19.5 billion for the production of textbooks and learning materials, following a significant 289-percent increase in procurement of textbook titles within a year. Additionally, the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP) has been allocated PHP10.6 billion to ensure reliable internet connectivity and digital tools in all public schools nationwide.
For the hiring of DepEd personnel, about PHP42.4 billion has been earmarked to cover 32,916 teaching positions, 6,000 Principal I items, and 10,000 School Counselor Associates. Furthermore, PHP2.2 billion is allocated for hiring 11,268 Administrative Officer II positions; PHP1 billion for 5,000 Project Development Officer I roles; and PHP4.6 billion for teacher training on effective teaching methodologies.
Moreover, Angara emphasized the importance of delivering quality education alongside ensuring the health and well-being of learners. In line with this, Congress granted PHP25.6 billion for the implementation of the Expanded School-Based Feeding Program, which is set to benefit 4.6 million learners nationwide. The program aims to support all Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners, as well as severely wasted and wasted Grade 2 to 6 learners in public schools.
