The Philippine government has approved a record education budget of more than ₱1.3 trillion for 2026, with ₱1.055 trillion allocated to the Department of Education, the largest budget ever granted to a single government agency.
Watch the full episode on PGMN’s Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X.
PGMN Anchor Ginelle Sequitin examines the state of Philippine education, laying out long-standing problems that accumulated over the past five administrations alongside reforms now being pursued under Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
“The question now is no longer just about how large the education budget is, but how that budget is being used and what results it produces,” Sequitin said.
Data cited in the program show that learning outcomes remain weak despite rising spending. Many Filipino children struggle with basic reading comprehension by age 10, the country ranks near the bottom in reading, mathematics, and science, completion rates fall at higher grade levels, and millions remain outside the formal school system.
DepEd said it is shifting to outcome-focused governance, citing programs such as Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning or ARAL, Bawat Bata Makababasa, and the Literacy Remediation Program.
The episode also highlights teacher concerns, including heavy workloads, delayed benefits, and out-of-pocket classroom expenses. DepEd pointed to reforms such as overtime and overload pay, a ₱10,000 teaching allowance under the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, expanded vacation service credits, and a new career progression system.
DepEd added that school operating needs should be funded through official sources, not teacher fund-raising, and cited transparency, procurement, and infrastructure measures that remain subject to public monitoring.
