Manila: The government is putting education front and center in the proposed 2026 national budget, aiming to strengthen investments that directly support learners, teachers, and school communities across the country, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, at the first-ever DepEd Classroom Summit in SMX Clark, DBM Officer-in-Charge Secretary Rolly Toledo called the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) a ‘true education budget.’ For the first time, 4 percent of the GDP is dedicated to education, which Toledo emphasized as proof of the government’s commitment under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to investing in children, teachers, and schools.
DBM data reveals that the proposed PHP928.5 billion DepEd budget allocates PHP44.58 billion for education infrastructure. This funding will support the construction of nearly 4,900 new classrooms, the repair of more than 9,400 existing ones, and the establishment of 200 Last Mile Schools in geographically isolated and underserved areas.
The budget also sets aside more than PHP1.134 billion for the restoration of heritage Gabaldon school buildings, ensuring these historic structures are preserved while being made safe and functional for students. Additionally, the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools Project is tasked with rehabilitating and retrofitting nearly 1,300 disaster-affected schools, translating to more than 13,000 classrooms nationwide.
The Classroom Summit, attended by over 1,000 participants from national agencies, local governments, civil society organizations, and development partners, such as the World Bank and UNICEF, focused on strategies to address the country’s classroom backlog. It highlighted the need for procurement readiness and the introduction of innovative, climate-adaptive school infrastructure solutions.
The 2026 NEP also includes investments in essential complementary needs, such as furniture for over 18,000 classrooms, electrification for more than 400 schools, and the construction of over 300 new health and sanitation facilities. This aims to ensure holistic, safe, and functional learning environments.
Toledo remarked, “This is how we make every peso count. Every classroom we build is a statement of hope. Every repaired structure is a promise kept. Every safe, dignified learning space is a legacy we give our children.”
