SENATE Committee on Finance Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian assured that the 2026 budget for education will support efforts to boost learners’ proficiency in reading.

Gatchalian’s statement follows the release of the 2024 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics or SEA-PLM, which found that Grade 5 Filipino learners are behind their Southeast Asian peers in reading.

The study shows that 27% of Grade 5 learners have very low reading proficiency.

Gatchalian pointed out that under the Bicameral Conference Committee-approved budget, the allocation for textbooks and other instructional materials increased to ₱19.5 billion from ₱11.2 billion in the National Expenditure Program to ensure that all learners will have complete sets of textbooks.

The study also found that in the Philippines, textbook availability is linked to higher learning outcomes.

Unfortunately, 52% of Grade 5 learners have only one reading textbook, while 42% share a reading textbook with at least one other student. Only 13% have reached the minimum proficiency and just 14% have high reading proficiency.

To help implement learning recovery, Gatchalian also sought additional ₱3.3 billion for 440,000 tutors under the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program. This allocation is expected to help 6.7 million learners.