The signing of the 2026 national budget has set a new benchmark for public spending on education, with allocations reaching levels not previously recorded in the country’s fiscal history. Education Secretary Sonny Angara acknowledged the move, noting that education now accounts for P1.35 trillion, equivalent to 4.4 percent of gross domestic product.
“For the first time in Philippine history, the nation has allocated more than four percent of its GDP to education, to ensure that quality education is delivered to every Filipino learner,” Angara said.
He said the scale of funding enables the Department of Education and its attached agencies to launch what he described as the most extensive package of learner- and teacher-centered initiatives in recent years. These include expanded classroom construction, school-based feeding, the production of learning materials, subsidies for learners, the provision of laptops, the creation of additional teaching and non-teaching positions, and expanded professional development for educators.
A significant portion of the budget is tied to the department’s five-point reform agenda, with P85.3 billion allotted in 2026 to address a classroom shortage estimated at 165,000 rooms. From this amount, P65 billion is earmarked for building 24,964 new classrooms, while P7.7 billion is designated for the repair and rehabilitation of existing school facilities.
Learning resources also received a substantial allocation, with P19.5 billion set aside for textbooks and other instructional materials. To strengthen digital access, P10.6 billion was approved for the DepEd Computerization Program, intended to expand the availability of digital tools and improve internet connectivity in public schools nationwide. Teacher development is supported by a separate P4.6 billion allocation for training programs focused on emerging and effective teaching approaches.
Personnel spending accounts for another large share of the budget. DepEd allocated P42.4 billion for the hiring of 32,916 teaching positions, 6,000 Principal I posts, and 10,000 School Counselor Associate positions, with P29 billion of the total reserved as a lump sum for filling teaching vacancies. Additional funds were provided for 11,268 Administrative Officer II positions worth P2.2 billion and 5,000 Project Development Officer I posts amounting to P1 billion.
Lawmakers also approved P25.6 billion for the expanded school-based feeding program, which is expected to cover 4.6 million learners. The program includes all Kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils, as well as severely wasted and wasted learners in Grades 2 to 6, for up to 200 feeding days.
Reacting to the budget’s approval, Senator Bam Aquino said the education allocation—placing it at around P1.34 trillion—would reinforce efforts to improve conditions in public schools. He cited funding for classroom construction, school feeding, and the implementation of Republic Act 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
Alongside the education spending, the Department of Information and Communications Technology announced that it will prioritize internet connectivity for all public schools in 2026. DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the initiative follows the President’s directive to achieve universal school connectivity, with a focus on unserved areas and remote island communities.
As discussions on implementation continue, some lawmakers raised concerns in other sectors. Rep. Raymond Adrian Salceda called for the immediate release of P6.77 billion in unpaid benefits for health workers who served during the COVID-19 pandemic, funds that remain pending despite being included in the 2026 budget under the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances program.
