EDUCATION must not be denied its rightful place as the top priority in the national budget, as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.

This was emphasized by former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, one of the leading senatorial candidates.

Lacson underscored the urgency of the issue following a Department of Education finding that over 18 million Filipinos may be functionally illiterate.

“I will make sure the Constitution is upheld in giving the education sector top priority in the budget,” he said.

He was referring to the proposed 2025 national budget, where the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) received a higher allocation than the combined budgets of the DepEd, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Lacson questioned the bicameral conference committee’s decision to reduce the DepEd’s budget to P737 billion while increasing the DPWH’s to P1.113 trillion — surpassing the total P912 billion allocation for the education sector. He pointed out this violates Article XIV, Section 5(5) of the Constitution, which states: “The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment.”

He reiterated that DepEd’s report on functional illiteracy highlights the urgency of investing in education.

“We must pay greater attention to the situation of the education sector, especially primary education,” he stressed.

Lacson also called on senators of the 20th Congress to set aside political differences in the performance of their legislative duties.

“I think we can move on from the Duterte-Marcos effect in the midterm elections. Focusing on caucuses and our legislative agenda would be a step in the right direction,” he added.