TO LEARN about best practices in financing public school operations, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), in collaboration with UNICEF Philippines, conducted a field visit to the Gapan City School Division Office and Gapan East Integrated School.

This division was chosen because, despite being a fourth-income-class city with limited resources, two schools — Gapan East Integrated School and Kapalangan National High School — achieved higher than average scores on the National Achievement Test.

The meeting included EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Sen. Win Gatchalian, Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, EDCOM 2 Advisory Council Members Doris Ferrer and Olie Lucas, Basic Education Subcommittee Member Elvin Ivan Uy, and DepEd Undersecretary for Operations Revsee Escobedo.

Gapan City Mayor Joy Pascual attended, along with DepEd Central Luzon Regional Director Dr. Ronnie Mallari and Gapan City Schools Division Superintendent Ms. Teresa Mababa.

UNICEF Philippines Deputy Representative for Programmes Behzad Noubary was present, along with UNICEF Philippines Chief of Education Akihiro Fushimi and Chief of Social Policy Maya Faisal.

EDCOM 2’s findings indicate that current levels of school maintenance and operating expenses budgets are insufficient to fully cover the operating costs of public elementary and high schools.

Prior consultations with school heads conducted by the Commission’s Governance and Finance Standing Committee revealed that 30–70% of the school MOOE budget is spent on utility bills alone, leaving minimal funds available for improvement projects and initiatives that could address local needs and support better learning.