SENATE ALLOCATES 4.5% OF GDP TO EDUCATION SECTOR
/ 15 November 2025
SENATE Committee on Finance Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian emphasized that the Senate’s version of the proposed 2026 national budget will allocate 4.5% of Gross Domestic Product to the education sector.
For fiscal year 2026, the education sector is set to receive ₱1.38 trillion, equivalent to 20% of the proposed ₱6.793 trillion budget.
Gatchalian noted that this marks the first time the Philippines will meet the United Nations benchmark of allotting at least 4–6% of GDP to education.
The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to receive ₱992.7 billion, while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will get ₱48.2 billion, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) ₱25.3 billion, and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) ₱140.3 billion.
Notable increases under the Senate’s version include:
₱3.3 billion for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program
₱18.08 billion for textbooks
₱15.06 billion for the School-Based Feeding Program
₱19.3 billion for 19,000 to 27,000 new classrooms
“Tiniyak natin na tutugunan ng 2026 national budget ang krisis sa edukasyon upang matupad ang pangarap natin na walang mag-aaral ang maiiwan,” Gatchalian said.
