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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DepEd grateful for 'full support' in push for higher 2026 education funding

DepEd grateful for 'full support' in push for higher 2026 education funding

Published Sep 4, 2025 07:04 pm
DepEd gains House backing for its P928.52B 2026 budget, with lawmakers supporting Education Secretary Sonny Angara and President Marcos’ push to prioritize education in the Philippines. (DepEd / MB Visual Content Group)
DepEd gains House backing for its P928.52B 2026 budget, with lawmakers supporting Education Secretary Sonny Angara and President Marcos’ push to prioritize education in the Philippines. (DepEd / MB Visual Content Group)
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday, September 4, said it has secured the full backing of the House of Representatives (HOR) for its proposed P928.52-billion budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.
READ: 
https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/03/depeds-bold-ask-for-2026-nearly-p1-trillion-to-boost-education-nationwide
In a statement, DepEd said it successfully defended its budget proposal for next year before the Committee on Appropriations on September 3.
DepEd added that the House’s support aligns with President Marcos’ call to prioritize education and Education Secretary Sonny Angara’s appeal for increased funding to address long-standing challenges in the sector.
Most significant increase
DepEd said the proposed budget under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) represents an 18.9 percent increase from the 2025 allocation.
Angara described this as the “most significant increase in recent years.”
“We thank the committee and its members for giving us the time to present our programs and proposals,” DepEd said. “In the Department, we hold on to a simple truth—that those who have less in life should have more in education,” he added.
Lawmakers push for bigger DepEd budget
DepEd noted that Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson and DepEd budget sponsor Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora stressed that the expanded budget will directly address long-standing education gaps.
Sultan Kudarat 2nd District Rep. Bella Vanessa Suansing commended Angara’s leadership, particularly his push to use technology to close gaps in education.
Meanwhile, Zamboanga del Norte 2nd District Rep. Irene Labadlabad urged fellow lawmakers to prioritize DepEd’s budget above all other agencies.
Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing also reaffirmed the House’s support for President Marcos’ call to prioritize funding for education.
Efficient spending and key programs
During the budget hearing, Angara reported improvements in fund utilization, noting that 43.2 percent of previously unused 2024 funds have already been appropriated in 2025.
He also highlighted DepEd’s major programs for next year, including:
- Hiring additional teachers and administrative officers
- Providing teacher benefits
- Expanding the School-Based Feeding Program
- Procuring more textbooks and learning materials
Despite these initiatives, Angara said that classroom shortages and the digital divide remain pressing challenges.
He assured lawmakers that DepEd will continue finding innovative solutions with Congress’ support.
“Kagaya ng palagi nating sinasabi, patuloy tayong gumagawa ng mga pamamaraan para lutasin ang mga suliranin na kinakaharap ng ating mga mag-aaral at guro (As we always say, we continue to find ways to solve the problems faced by our students and teachers),” Angara said.
“Sa pamamagitan ng suporta ng Kongreso, mas magiging mabilis at maayos ang paghahatid natin ng serbisyo sa mga paaralan (With the support of Congress, we can deliver services to schools more quickly and efficiently),” he added.
RELATED STORY: 
https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/02/landmark-move-deped-hails-p1224-t-education-budget-first-to-meet-unescos-4-gdp-benchmark

Related Tags

DepEd budget 2026 DepEd House of Representatives Sonny Angara DepEd Marcos education priority DepEd classroom shortage Philippines classroom shortage
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