EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara expressed his gratitude to the members of the House of Representatives for their full support and endorsement of additional funding for the Department of Education.

The department defended its Fiscal Year 2026 budget before the House Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday (03 Sept 2025).

DepEd’s proposed budget for 2026, amounting to ₱928.52 billion under the National Expenditures Program, represents an 18.9 percent increase compared to the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

“We thank the committee and its members for giving us the opportunity to present our programs and proposals. In the Department, we hold to a simple truth—that those who have less in life should have more in education,” Angara said.

During the hearing, Angara reported that DepEd has been doubling its efforts to improve fund utilization for FY 2024 under continuing appropriations. He highlighted that of the 56 percent of unused budget last year, 43.2 percent has already been appropriated by the agency in 2025.

He also discussed the department’s major programs and initiatives for teachers and learners, including the hiring of additional teaching staff and administrative officers, provision of teacher benefits, the School-Based Feeding Program, and the procurement of learning materials and textbooks.

DepEd acknowledged that classroom shortages and the digital divide remain long-standing challenges.

Angara, however, vowed that the department will continue to explore creative and innovative solutions to address these issues.