THE 16,000 new teaching positions are part of the first phase of a larger plan to hire 20,000 teachers, Malacañang said Monday (19 May 2025).

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aims to address the teacher shortage and improve the quality of education for Filipino students.

“First and foremost, it is the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen the education system. The President really wants to reduce the shortage of teachers in every school,” Castro said.

“The 16,000 teaching positions are only the first phase, as the target is to hire 20,000 teaching positions,” she added.

This initiative supports the Department of Education’s efforts to address the 56,000-teacher shortage projected for 2024 and move toward a more effective teacher-student ratio.

The Palace said the new teaching positions aim to reduce overcrowding in classrooms, especially in schools with adequate infrastructure but high student-to-teacher ratios.