EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara has welcomed the House of Representatives panel’s approval of a ₱1.952 billion budget addition for the Department of Education (DepEd) under the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 national budget.
The funding boost was approved by the Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSc) of the House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mikaela Suansing.
The measure restores vital support to key programs that were either left unfunded or reduced under the ₱975.96 billion allocated to the agency in the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Specifically, the allocations include ₱952 million for the Basic Education Facilities Fund to construct new classrooms, ₱500 million for the School Safety and Security Program, and PHP350 million for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program.
Lawmakers also restored funds for inclusive education, allocating ₱75 million for Special Needs Education, ₱50 million for Madrasah Education, and ₱25 million for Indigenous Peoples Education.
“We are immensely grateful to our colleagues in the House of Representatives… for stepping up to bridge these vital funding gaps,” Angara said. “Every peso added here goes directly to making our public schools safer, our classrooms less congested, and our children better equipped to learn.”
The ₱350 million allocation for the ARAL Program will sustain nationwide tutoring and remediation.
DepEd noted that targeted recovery interventions during the 2025–2026 school year successfully reduced the number of struggling readers nationwide from 6.7 million to 2.2 million.
Angara emphasized that learning recovery requires continuous momentum to keep learners moving forward.
Meanwhile, the ₱500 million security fund addresses urgent campus safety measures following recent incidents.
The former senator also stressed that a whole-of-community approach—combining safer facilities, protective measures, and coordination with law enforcement and local governments—is essential to ensuring schools remain safe havens.
Regarding infrastructure, Angara assured the public that DepEd will collaborate with legislative oversight to guarantee swift and transparent execution for the ₱952 million classroom construction fund.
As budget deliberations progress, DepEd remains confident that Congress will prioritize Filipino learners.