Education Secretary Sonny Angara said around 2.2 million students are now benefiting from the government’s private education voucher program, allowing qualified learners to attend participating private schools with tuition support from public funds.
Angara said the Government Assistance and Subsidy for Private Education (GASTPE) program has grown significantly since its creation, expanding access to private education while helping address overcrowding in public schools.
“Malaki na ho ‘yung isinabatas ng tatay, ginagawa ngayon ng anak. Lumaki na ho ‘yung programa na ‘yun. There are millions, how many benefit? 2.2 million,” Angara said.
GASTPE was established under Republic Act No. 8545 to provide financial assistance to qualified students enrolled in participating private schools. Under its voucher component, eligible learners from public schools may transfer to accredited private institutions, with the government providing subsidies to help cover education costs.
The program covers junior high school and senior high school students and was designed to expand learning opportunities while reducing pressure on public schools facing challenges involving classroom capacity and resources.
Angara said the voucher system gives students more options for continuing their education while allowing public schools to manage growing enrollment demands. The program has become one of the government’s major education assistance initiatives as the country continues to address gaps in basic education.
He also highlighted the origins of the program, noting that the law behind GASTPE was authored by his father, the late former Senate President Edgardo J. Angara. The Education secretary said the initiative has expanded over the years into a larger support system benefiting millions of learners.
Aside from the voucher program, Angara said the DepEd Philippines is also pursuing other initiatives, including the one-student-one-textbook policy, the universal school feeding program, and the ARAL tutorial program.
