SENATOR Loren Legarda expressed serious concern over the P12 billion reduction in the Department of Education’s budget for Fiscal Year 2025, describing it as a significant misstep with far-reaching consequences for learners, teachers, and the nation’s future.

She cautioned that this decision not only jeopardizes the foundation of progress but also reflects a troubling shift in national priorities.

“How can we rationalize slashing P12 billion from DepEd?” Legarda asked.

“How can we claim to value the future of our nation when we undermine the very foundation of that future? How do we explain that act of not allocating sufficient resources into what we have always called our most powerful investment?” she added.

The largest cut in the department’s proposed FY 2025 budget is the P10 billion reduction from DepEd’s Computerization Program, a vital initiative aimed at providing public schools with educational technology, including IT infrastructure, networking facilities, and information systems.

The program, aligned with the K-12 curriculum, enhances teaching and learning, equipping students with essential skills for future employment and global citizenship.

Legarda, who serves as a Commissioner of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, stressed that such a reduction risks widening the digital divide, particularly in underserved communities.

“In today’s world, digital access is no longer a luxury but a lifeline. Scaling back on programs that provide technological tools for learning denies millions of Filipino children the opportunity to compete in a rapidly evolving, technology-driven world,” Legarda said.

Legarda emphasized the need to uphold the nation’s commitment to education by ensuring sustained funding for regular programs that directly benefit learners and teachers.

“Our duty to our children’s future goes beyond words; it requires action. This means strengthening the regular programs that benefit our learners and teachers. Respect for the mandates of governance requires mutual accountability. If we expect DepEd to succeed in implementing their programs, it starts by providing them with the necessary resources to deliver,” she said.

As a four-term senator and former Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Legarda also called for greater transparency in the budget process, particularly during bicameral conference committee deliberations.

“The General Appropriations Act is the single most important legislation we pass each year,” Legarda asserted.

“Months of committee hearings and plenary debates are rendered meaningless if the final budget decisions lack genuine transparency. The Filipino people deserve a clear explanation for every peso allocated—or removed—especially in vital sectors like education,” she concluded.