BUSINESS and education groups have reaffirmed their confidence in the current leadership of the Department of Education, saying the Department’s commitment to transparency, data-driven policymaking, and collaboration strengthens efforts to advance key reforms.

The Philippine Business for Education, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines, and the Association of Foundations noted that sustained confidence in Education Secretary Sonny Angara’s reform agenda is crucial to ensuring that increased investments translate into meaningful improvements for learners, teachers, and schools.

“We reiterate our confidence in Sec. Sonny Angara and the current DepEd team, whose commitment to transparency, data-driven policymaking, and collaboration provides the stability needed to advance key reforms,” the groups said in a joint statement.

The Department, which received a P1.044-trillion budget in the Senate version of the General Appropriations Bill, also echoed the private sector’s call to bring education spending closer to global benchmarks while ensuring stricter transparency and accountability in the bicameral conference committee deliberations.

“The direction set by President Marcos to invest strongly in human capital provides us with the foundation to push reforms that matter,” Angara said. “Our commitment is to ensure that every peso is used effectively and that learners, teachers, and parents feel the impact in their classrooms and communities.”

Angara added that the trust expressed by the country’s leading business and education institutions is a clear indication that the sector is moving toward a more stable, data-driven, and collaborative reform environment.