SENATOR Joel Villanueva has filed a measure seeking to broaden the scope of the Special Education Fund to help schools acquire the resources they need, improving learning outcomes.

Senate Bill No. 2845 proposes amendments to the Local Government Code, empowering local school boards to utilize the fund for initiatives such as training programs, allowance payments, and purchasing school equipment, among others.

“The lack of resources and infrastructure to support ideal teaching and learning processes remains one of the most pressing issues in our educational system. Increasing education spending is one way to address this and ensure better outcomes,” said Villanueva.

“We can never go wrong when investing in education and the future of our learners,” he added.

The SEF, established under Republic Act No. 5447, allows local government units to contribute to the financial support of education. It is separate from the Department of Education’s annual budget.

Currently, the SEF comes from a one-percent real property tax and is used for the operation and maintenance of public schools, construction and repair of school buildings, educational research, and sports development.

Villanueva’s bill expands SEF usage to include:

Operations of public elementary and secondary schools, informal and non-formal education programs, special education, and remedial classes;

Compensation, training, and benefits for teaching and non-teaching personnel;
Acquisition of school lands;
Construction and maintenance of school buildings and facilities;
Purchase of learning materials, including IT equipment;
Programs for sports, youth formation, and leadership development.

The bill also mandates local school boards to submit an annual report on SEF collection, allocation, and utilization to the Department of Finance, Congress, and other relevant agencies.

“It is essential to introduce continuous innovations and reforms given the disruptions affecting learners. Expanding the SEF’s use will allow greater investment in future generations’ education,” Villanueva said.