The Department of Education (DepEd) is poised to accelerate major education reforms in 2026 after the Senate approved a significantly higher budget for the agency, signaling strong support for DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara and the Marcos administration’s push to improve learning outcomes nationwide.

Under the Senate version of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), DepEd is set to receive P1.044 trillion, marking a 12.65 percent increase from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and P77.66 billion more than the House-approved budget.

DepEd, in a statement, said the historic boost underscores President Marcos' directive to prioritize learning recovery, build safer and more modern learning environments, and expand access to quality education—especially in underserved and remote communities.

“Every peso added to the budget is a vote of confidence in our direction,” Angara said during the Senate plenary hearing.

“It signals that Congress and the people expect us to deliver—and we intend to meet that expectation with transparency, urgency, and integrity,” he added, noting that several major education programs were reinforced under the Senate version of the GAB.

Angara said key education programs are set to receive significant funding increases in 2026, signaling a stronger push to improve access, learning quality, and school safety nationwide.

Funding for textbooks and learning materials will more than double—from P11.16 billion to P29.29 billion—allowing the production of 79 million learning resources, new titles, and expanded reading materials for early learners.

The School-Based Feeding Program will also see a major boost, rising from P11.77 billion to P28.66 billion to serve 4.49 million students, including all Kinder to Grade 1 learners and malnourished pupils in Grades 2 to 6.

Disaster response and school safety efforts will be strengthened as the budget climbs from P665 million to P3.77 billion to support emergency operations, micro weather stations, clearing of 4,227 schools, and the provision of temporary learning spaces.

Meanwhile, school infrastructure will receive a historic increase—from P28.06 billion to P85.41 billion—to fund the construction of 25,527 new classrooms, repair 11,886 existing ones, and complete unfinished buildings, marking a major step toward addressing the country’s long-standing classroom shortage.

Workforce expansion and teacher support will also be prioritized, with funding allocated for 323,916 new teaching items, 6,000 principal positions, 10,000 Administrative Officer II roles, 5,000 PDO I posts, expanded laptop distribution, and additional benefits and relocation allowances.

The ARAL learning recovery program will retain full funding to support 98,401 tutors nationwide. Other strengthened initiatives include the Last Mile Schools Program (P5.25B), Human Resource Development (P4.66B), the Alternative Learning System (P897M), and school electrification through NEA (P3.67B).

Inclusive education programs will likewise be supported, with funding for Indigenous Peoples Education (P154.44M), Special Needs Education (P1.04B), and Madrasah Education (P521.61M).

DepEd said the higher investments will be matched with stricter transparency and performance monitoring under its 5-Point Reform Agenda.

“The expanded budget gives us room to fix what needs fixing,” Angara said. “It also reflects the confidence placed in the reforms we are pushing forward—and we intend to justify that confidence with clear results.”

Once enacted, the 2026 budget is expected to fast-track DepEd’s long-term roadmap focused on access, accountability, quality learning, and future-readiness for Filipino learners.