Senator Paolo "Bam" Aquino has commended the Bicameral Conference Committee for keeping the education budget intact and for upholding transparency in the 2026 national budget approval process.

The bicam approved a P1.38-trillion education budget—the highest in the country’s history. It is equivalent to 4.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), in line with United Nations (UN) standards of allocating 4 percent to 6 percent of GDP to education.

“Kabataan ang panalo sa pinakamalaking pondo para sa edukasyon dahil tutugunan nito ang ilan sa pinakamahalaga nilang pangangailangan at ang mga matatagal nang problema sa ating mga paaralan (The youth stand to benefit from the largest allocation of funds for education, as it will address some of their most important needs and the long-standing problems in our schools),” Aquino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said in a statement.

“Lubos tayong nagpapasalamat sa mga miyembro ng bicam, sa pangunguna nina Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian at House Committee on Appropriations Chair Rep. Mika Suansing, sa matibay nilang paninindigan para maprotektahan ang pondo para sa edukasyon (We are deeply grateful to the members of the bicam, led by Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and House Committee on Appropriations Chair Rep. Mika Suansing, for their firm stand in protecting the education budget),” he added.

The amount includes P67 billion for the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 10931 or the Free College Law, which Aquino authored. It ensures the continued education of 5.7 million students in state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local universities and colleges (LUCs), for 2026.

The bicam also approved increased funding for TES, P68 billion for the construction of classrooms, and P25.6 billion for the School-Based Feeding Program.

Also approved was Aquino’s recommendation to earmark P500 million in financial assistance for Related Learning Experience (RLE) for students in allied health sciences programs.

Allied health sciences programs include Nursing, Medical Technology/Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Radiologic Technology, Midwifery, Nutrition and Dietetics, Speech-Language Pathology, Human Biology/Pre-Med Allied Programs, Dentistry, Biochemistry, and Psychology.

Aquino also commended the bicam’s decision to cut the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) budget based on the agency’s updated price data for construction materials and logistics.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa hakbang ng bicam na tapyasan ang pondo ng DPWH batay sa tunay na presyo ng mga materyales sa merkado. Hindi katanggap-tanggap na magpapasa tayo ng pambansang budget kasama ang overpriced items (We thank the bicam for its move to cut the DPWH budget based on the actual market prices of materials. It is unacceptable to pass a national budget that includes overpriced items),” he said.

Aquino further lauded the bicam for upholding transparency in the livestreamed budget deliberations. He said it ensured that the Filipino people were properly informed where their hard-earned taxes go.

However, he underscored the need for continued vigilance to ensure that government agencies utilize the education budget for its intended purposes and for the benefit of students.

“Hindi tayo puwedeng magpakampante. Mahalaga na maging mapagbantay tayo upang masiguro na mapupunta ang pondo sa edukasyon, hindi sa korapsyon (Hindi tayo puwedeng magpakampante. Mahalaga na maging mapagbantay tayo upang masiguro na mapupunta ang pondo sa edukasyon, hindi sa korapsyon),” Aquino stressed.