SENATE Finance Committee Chairman Juan Edgardo Angara on Monday assured the public that education will get the biggest chunk in the bicameral conference committee version of the proposed 2023 National Budget.

During his sponsorship of the bicam report on the proposed budget, Angara said the two houses approved funding for the financial assistance to students, scholarship and other subsidies for education.

These are under the programs of the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority.

The programs include the Universal to Quality Tertiary Education program, Senior High School Voucher Program, Education Service Contracting for Junior High School, Student Financial Assistance Program, Joint Delivery Voucher for SHS Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Specialization, and Private Education Student Financial Assistance.

Meanwhile, the panel also approved additional funding for TESDA such as the Special Training for Employment Program, which was given an additional P832 million, Training for Work Scholarship Program (P1.209 billion) and the Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program (P1.033 billion).

Angara reported that the bicam panel pproved to restore the Social Support component of the PUV Mordernization Program for Tsuper Iskolar Program of the Department of Transportation and Tesda, as well as the EnTSUPERneur Program of DOTr and DOLE.

The panel also allotted enough funding for the repair and rehabilitation of damaged schools.

“Ngayon na bumabalik na rin sa full face-to-face classes ang ating mga mag-aaral, minabuti rin ng inyong kumite – na sinang-ayunan ng bicam – ang pagdagdag sa pondo ng DepEd para sa repair and rehabilitation ng mga pasilidad na nasira sa mga nakaraag bagyo o lindol, tulad ng sa Laoag City at Batac City,” Angara said.

He stressed that they increased the funding for the National Child Development Centers which was given P232.38 million.