ZAMBALES First District Rep. Jay Khonghun emphasized that the education sector remains the top priority in the 2025 national budget, refuting claims that the Department of Public Works and Highways budget has surpassed the education allocations.

Khonghun clarified that the education sector’s budget exceeds the DPWH’s by P22 billion.

“Hindi totoo na mas malaki ang budget ng DPWH kaysa sa edukasyon sa ating national budget,” he said.

He pointed out that the total education budget is PHP 1.055 trillion, while the DPWH’s allocation stands at PHP 1.033 trillion for 2025.

The education budget includes funding for various agencies within the sector, such as:

• Department of Education: P782.17 billion
• Commission on Higher Education: P34.88 billion
• State Universities and Colleges: P127.23 billion
• Technical Education and Skills Development Authority: P20.97 billion
• Local Government Academy: P529.24 million
• Philippine National Police Academy: P1.37 billion
• Philippine Public Safety College: P994.3 million
• National Defense College of the Philippines: P334.64 million
• Philippine Military Academy: P1.76 billion
• Philippine Science High School System: P2.80 billion
• Science Education Institute: P7.49 billion

Khonghun noted that additional funding for education-related infrastructure, amounting to P14.76 billion, as well as the salary differential under Executive Order No. 64, worth P60.59 billion, further boosted the total education budget to P1.055 trillion.

In comparison, the DPWH’s original allocation of P1.114 trillion was reduced by P82 billion for convergence projects. Even with the addition of P1.2 billion for salary differentials under EO 64, the net total for the DPWH stands at P1.033 trillion.

“Malinaw po na hindi pinapabayaan ng administrasyon ang edukasyon. Pinakamalaki pa rin ang alokasyon para sa edukasyon dahil ito ang pundasyon ng ating kinabukasan,” Khonghun said.