Manila: Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian announced that the 2026 national budget will be crafted as an “education budget,” following the directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) where education was highlighted as a priority.
According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian emphasized during the Kapihan sa Senado media forum that efforts are underway to increase the education budget to at least 4 percent of the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP), up from the current allocation of 3.8 to 3.9 percent. He noted that the country had previously reached this target but subsequently fell short, and the goal for 2026 is to restore and maintain this level of investment in education.
Gatchalian clarified that while education will be prioritized, other essential sectors will not be neglected. The focus will be on emphasizing the importance of education funding.
He outlined several key initiatives that would receive increased funding under the 2026 budget, consistent with the recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). A significant focus will be on the Department of Education’s (DepEd) ARAL Program, which offers tutoring and targeted interventions for early grade learners struggling with reading and numeracy.
In addition to strengthening early grade reading and numeracy, Gatchalian underscored the importance of addressing the classroom backlog. He recommended reviving the “counterparting program” with local government units (LGUs) to co-fund classroom construction, accelerating the building process by combining national and local efforts.
Furthermore, Gatchalian highlighted the need to hire more teacher aides to alleviate the non-teaching workload of public school teachers, enabling them to concentrate on instruction. This initiative aligns with President Marcos Jr.’s observation that teachers are currently burdened with numerous tasks beyond teaching.
The senator concluded that these strategic investments in education would not only help meet the 4 percent of GDP target but also ensure that reforms are aligned with measurable outcomes in student learning and teacher support.
