To ensure a more equitable distribution of school division offices (SDOs) across the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) has been urged to review—and possibly amend—Republic Act No. 9155, or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001.

In a hearing on DepEd’s mandates and charter earlier this week, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) revealed significant disparities in the number of schools and students supervised by each division.

These disparities, the Commission said in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 29, have led to unequal access to resources, personnel, and support systems nationwide.

According to EDCOM 2’s findings, the more than 200 SDOs under DepEd vary widely in the number of schools they manage—even among those classified under the same size category.

For instance, the Division of Leyte supervises 1,363 schools, while Caloocan City—also categorized as a large division—oversees only 319 schools. Similarly, Cebu, the country’s largest division, manages 1,346 schools, compared to Batanes, which has only 28.

EDCOM 2 also found major differences in staff-to-student ratios among divisions. These disparities, the Commission noted, reflect inequities in critical support for teachers and students across regions.

DepEd Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Filemon Javier explained that the law’s provision—stating that “a division shall consist of a province or a city”—effectively restricts the Department from creating new divisions within the same province or city, even when student populations or the number of schools have significantly increased.

This limitation, Javier said, has made it difficult for DepEd to address administrative overloads and ensure fair allocation of personnel.

“Because the provision explicitly says that a division shall consist of a province or a city, it implies that there’s only one division in a province or a city,” Javier explained, suggesting that amending the law to allow multiple divisions “within” provinces or cities would give DepEd more flexibility to improve management and supervision.

EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo urged DepEd to submit its recommendations on how to amend RA 9155, including proposed staffing ratios and budgetary requirements.

“Do you need a law to create a new school division, or can DepEd do that on its own? What is the ideal ratio, and what steps are being taken to address this?” Romulo asked during the hearing.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara agreed that the current structure needs to be reviewed. “I think the opinion is that 1,300 schools is too much for one official to oversee—that’s the crux of it,” he said.

EDCOM 2 Co-Chair Senator Loren Legarda emphasized the need to coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) before proposing new divisions. “Along with the recommendation for the proposed measure, let’s also determine how many plantilla positions and the corresponding budget are needed,” she added.

RA 9155 was enacted in 2001 following the recommendations of the first EDCOM to decentralize DepEd’s functions and empower local divisions and schools.

However, EDCOM 2 noted that the evolving education landscape—marked by population growth and the expansion of the K–12 system—requires revisiting this framework.

Established under RA 11899, EDCOM 2 is mandated to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Philippine education system and recommend reforms to address the ongoing education crisis.