Manila: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday welcomed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s approval of the World Bank-financed Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization (PLUS-D), saying it will strengthen the Department of Education’s Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program. Expected to benefit around 21.2 million Kindergarten to Grade 10 learners, the initiative will reinforce and complement the ARAL Program, which will be funded under the 2026 national budget.
According to Philippines News Agency, both PLUS-D and ARAL must be implemented efficiently to ensure that government resources are used properly to address the education crisis, Gatchalian emphasized. He highlighted the importance of effective implementation, stating, “Mahalagang tiyakin nating maipapatupad nang epektibo ang mga programang ito. Hindi puwedeng mabinbin o malustay ang mga proyektong tutugon sa krisis sa edukasyon (It is vital to ensure that these programs are implemented effectively. We cannot afford delays or misuse of projects meant to address the education crisis).”
PLUS-D, managed by the Department of Education (DepEd), aims to address learning losses and decentralize education reforms by granting schools and regions more autonomy in implementation. The six-year project will channel resources and technical support directly to schools and regional offices, allowing for faster and localized interventions.
With a PHP3.47-billion government counterpart, the PHP34.79-billion project will fund teacher training, digital tools such as laptops, and school-based accountability systems that reward improved learning outcomes.
