Education Secretary Sonny Angara welcomed the approval by a House of Representatives panel of PHP1.952 billion in budget additions for the Department of Education (DepEd) under the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 national budget.
The Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSc) of the House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Suansing, approved the funding boost to restore vital support to priority programs that were unfunded or reduced under the PHP975.96 billion allocated to DepEd in the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The budget restorations and additions include PHP952 million for the Basic Education Facilities Fund to construct classrooms, PHP500 million for the School Safety and Security Program, and PHP350 million for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.
Lawmakers also restored funding for inclusive education: PHP75 million for Special Needs Education, PHP50 million for Madrasah Education, and PHP25 million for Indigenous Peoples Education.
The PHP350 million boost for the ARAL Program will sustain tutoring and remediation for targeted learners nationwide. During School Year 2025–2026, targeted recovery interventions helped reduce the number of struggling readers nationwide from 6.7 million to 2.2 million.
“We are immensely grateful to our colleagues in the House of Representatives, led by Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Mikaela Suansing, for stepping up to bridge these vital funding gaps,” Angara said. “Every peso added here goes directly to making our public schools safer, our classrooms less congested, and our children better equipped to learn.”
The PHP350 million boost for the ARAL Program will sustain tutoring and remediation for targeted learners nationwide. During School Year 2025–2026, targeted recovery interventions helped reduce the number of struggling readers nationwide from 6.7 million to 2.2 million.
“Learning recovery is not a one-year project; it requires continuous, steady momentum,” Angara said. “Giving the ARAL Program a dedicated allocation ensures that our tutors and teachers have the resources they need to keep pulling our learners forward.”
Secretary Angara also underscored the urgency of securing PHP500 million for campus safety following recent security incidents.
Angara stressed that a whole-of-community approach, combining safer facilities, security measures, preventive mechanisms, and coordination with parents, local government units, law enforcement, and other partners, is critical to creating safe learning spaces.
Lawmakers also restored funding for inclusive education: PHP75 million for Special Needs Education, PHP50 million for Madrasah Education, and PHP25 million for Indigenous Peoples Education.
“Our schools must remain safe havens for both our teachers and learners,” Angara said. “This funding allows us to deploy proper security personnel and protective measures on the ground, giving parents peace of mind whenever they send their kids off to school each morning.”
Regarding the PHP952 million restoration for classroom construction, Angara said that DepEd will work closely with legislative oversight to guarantee swift and transparent project execution.
“We hear the House loud and clear on the need for accountability and timely implementation. DepEd will make sure that every classroom funded under this budget is constructed on time and built to last,” Angara added.
As House budget deliberations progress, DepEd remains confident that Congress will continue prioritizing the needs of Filipino learners.
