SENATOR Bam Aquino has lauded the bicameral conference committee for keeping the education budget intact and for upholding transparency in the approval of the 2026 national budget.

The bicameral conference committee approved a ₱1.38-trillion education budget—the highest in the country’s history.

This amount is equivalent to 4.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), in line with United Nations standards that recommend allocating 4 percent to 6 percent of GDP to education.

“Kabataan ang panalo sa pinakamalaking pondo para sa edukasyon dahil tutugunan nito ang ilan sa pinakamahalaga nilang pangangailangan at ang mga matagal nang problema sa ating mga paaralan,” said Aquino, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

“Lubos tayong nagpapasalamat sa mga miyembro ng bicam, sa pangunguna nina Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian at House Committee on Appropriations Chair Rep. Mika Suansing, sa matibay nilang paninindigan na maprotektahan ang pondo para sa edukasyon,” he added.

The approved amount includes ₱67 billion for the implementation of Republic Act No. 10931, or the Free College Law, which Aquino authored.

This ensures the continued education of 5.7 million students in state universities and colleges as well as local universities and colleges in 2026.

The bicam also approved increased funding for Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), ₱68 billion for the construction of classrooms, and ₱25.6 billion for the School-Based Feeding Program.

Also approved was Aquino’s recommendation to earmark ₱500 million in financial assistance for the Related Learning Experience of students in allied health sciences programs.