The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday, Nov. 27, welcomed the joint endorsement of major business and education groups for the proposed P1.38-trillion allocation for the education sector in the 2026 national budget, which the agency described as a vote of confidence in its reform direction.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the support from the private sector affirms trust in DepEd’s current leadership and its focus on transparency, data-driven policy-making, and collaborative reforms aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s education agenda.

“The direction set by President Marcos to invest strongly in human capital provides us with the foundation to push reforms that matter,” Angara said.

“Our commitment is to ensure that every peso is used effectively and that learners, teachers, and parents feel the impact in their classrooms and communities,” he added.

DepEd said the endorsement was issued by the Philippine Business for Education, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines, and the Association of Foundations.

The department said these groups cited confidence in ongoing reforms as crucial to ensuring that increased funding leads to meaningful improvements for learners, teachers, and schools.

DepEd noted that its proposed allocation of P1.38 trillion exceeds the P1.044 trillion included in the Senate version of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill.

The department said it shares the private sector’s goal of aligning education spending with global benchmarks while ensuring strict transparency and accountability during bicameral deliberations.

To support this, the department highlighted recent initiatives designed to strengthen transparency and implementation, including the DepEd Open Data (Project BUKAS), accelerated and flexible classroom procurement reforms, and evidence-based policy planning.

Beyond internal reforms, Angara also emphasized DepEd’s expanded partnerships with private and development organizations to support teacher upskilling, digital learning, curriculum enhancement, and learning remediation.

Collaborators include business groups, philanthropic organizations, publishers, and international partners such as UNICEF, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNESCO, USAID, and SEAMEO-INNOTECH.

“These partnerships help us strengthen the public school system and bring additional expertise and innovation into improving learning outcomes,” Angara said.

DepEd said the trust expressed by the country’s leading business and education institutions indicates that the education sector is moving toward a more stable, data-driven, and collaborative reform environment.