THE SENATE Committee on Finance wants the Department of Education and State Universities and Colleges to have additional budget for the expansion of face-to-face classes next year.

Finance Committee Chairman Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said that there was no provision in the National Expenditure Program and General Appropriations bill for the preparations and implementation of physical classes in basic and higher education institutions.

He said that the DepEd and the SUCs should be given additional allocation as more schools are expected to hold in-person classes in 2022.

“In response to the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes, the committee saw it fit to recommend increases in the budgets of the DepEd and SUCs. Sisiguraduhin natin na ligtas ang ating mga mag-aaral at mga guro at simulan na sa mas madaling panahon ang pag-aaaral ng mas marami pang estudyante sa loob ng silid-aralan,” Angara said.

The panel proposed augmentation funds for the DepEd and the 116 SUCs, including the University of the Philippines System, for their preparations for in-person classes.

The funds may be used by the DepEd and school administrators to retrofit classrooms and other facilities to comply with the safety standards set by the health authorities.

The money could also be used for the Covid19 testing of the faculty and staff and for the acquisition of supplies and other equipment for the implementation of safety protocols and standards.

“We want to give them some degree of flexibility in the use of the funds since each institution would have different needs. This is why we included in the menu of programs—assistance to the students, teachers and staff for their transportation requirements, which include the purchase of non-motorized forms of transportation such as bicycles,” Angara said.

The committee also provided funding for the Private Senior High School Voucher program under the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 and the Education Service Contracting Program for private junior high schools.

Additional funding was also recommended for the Special Education Program to assist the learners with disabilities.

The Last Mile Schools Program was allotted more budget for the construction of school buildings, tech-voc laboratories, water and sanitation facilities, and the installation of solar panels in the far-flung areas.