Education remains at the forefront of the Marcos Administration’s spending priorities, with P1.326 trillion proposed for basic and higher education under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), equivalent to 3.99 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

 

During the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) briefing before the Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday, Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV welcomed the continued prioritization of the sector.

 

“I was very happy to see that for the second year, education was still the priority,” Senator Aquino said.

 

The proposed education investment includes P975.96 billion for the Department of Education (DepEd) and P176.5 billion for higher education, alongside funding for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and other education-related programs across government.

 

Significantly, even when basic and higher education are presented separately, both remain among the Top 10 spending priorities under the proposed FY 2027 National Budget. Basic Education ranks first with approximately P976.0 billion, while Higher Education ranks ninth with P176.5 billion.

 

DBM Acting Secretary and DBCC Chairperson Kim Robert C. De Leon said this demonstrates the premium the Administration places on investing in Filipino learners and human capital.

 

“Consistent with the message of the President, we’re really giving priority to education. As a matter of fact, I didn’t highlight this during the earlier presentation, but if we didn’t notice, in the top ten, there are actually two entries for education,” Secretary De Leon said.

 

“This might be the first time that we are seeing two entries for education in the top ten, because previously there’s just one aggregate entry for education, which just means even if we separate higher education from the basic education, it still receives a significant amount from the budget. So that’s one manifestation that the administration really puts premium on education,” he added.

 

 

At 3.99 percent of GDP, the proposed P1.326-trillion investment brings government education spending to nearly 4.0 percent of the economy, effectively reaching the lower end of the UNESCO Education 2030 benchmark of 4.0 to 6.0 percent of GDP for education spending for the second time.

 

The P1.326-trillion computation reflects a whole-of-government view of education spending, including relevant education expenditures beyond the budgets of the principal national education agencies.

 

 

Beyond the topline allocation, the proposed budget provides substantial investments aimed at improving the quality of teaching and expanding access to education.

 

A total of P12.09 billion is proposed for the Expanded Career Progression System for public school teachers, almost double the FY 2026 level, to support the reclassification and career advancement of teachers.

 

Another P10.36 billion is provided to sustain the P10,000 Teaching Allowance under the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act.

 

For tertiary education, the proposed budget provides P61.10 billion for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) Program across SUCs, CHED, and TESDA to support Free Higher Education, Tertiary Education Subsidies, and free technical-vocational education and training.

 

The proposed allocation includes P27.44 billion for UAQTE requirements of SUCs, P27.79 billion under CHED, and P5.87 billion under TESDA, further widening opportunities for Filipinos to pursue college and technical-vocational education.

 

The Administration has likewise demonstrated its commitment to sustaining free higher education during the current fiscal year. Earlier this month, DBM released P9.753 billion to address validated Free Higher Education funding deficiencies covering 108 State Universities and Colleges, ensuring that available resources translate into actual educational opportunities for Filipino students.

 

Secretary De Leon also committed DBM’s support for reforms identified by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), including efforts to better align future education budgets with the country’s long-term education reform agenda.

 

“We commit to fully support these reforms as enshrined in the development plan of EDCOM,” Secretary De Leon said.

 

For DBM, the proposed P1.326-trillion education investment underscores that the Administration’s commitment goes beyond maintaining education as the single largest budgetary priority: it is about directing resources toward better learning outcomes, stronger support for teachers, wider access to tertiary and technical education, and reforms that can improve the country’s education system over the long term.

 

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ika-27 Agosto 2026

 

 

Nananatiling pangunahing prayoridad sa gastusin ng Administrasyong Marcos ang edukasyon, na may panukalang P1.326 trilyon na alokasyon para sa basic at higher education sa ilalim ng National Expenditure Program (NEP) para sa taong 2027, na katumbas ng 3.99 porsiyento ng gross domestic product (GDP).

 

Sa isinagawang briefing ng Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) sa Senate Committee on Finance nitong Huwebes, malugod na tinanggap ni Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV ang patuloy na pagbibigay-prayoridad sa sektor.

 

“I was very happy to see that for the second year, education was still the priority,” ani Senator Aquino.

 

Kabilang sa panukalang pamumuhunan para sa edukasyon ang P975.96 bilyon para sa Department of Education (DepEd) at P176.5 bilyon para sa higher education, bukod pa sa pondo para sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) at iba pang programang may kaugnayan sa edukasyon sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan.

 

Bagamat magkahiwalay ang basic at higher education, kapwa kabilang ang mga ito sa Top 10 na spending priorities sa ilalim ng panukalang FY 2027 National Budget. Nangunguna ang Basic Education na may humigit-kumulang P976.0 bilyon, habang nasa ika-siyam na puwesto ang Higher Education na may P176.5 bilyon.

 

Ayon kay DBM Acting Secretary at DBCC Chairperson Kim Robert C. De Leon, ipinapakita nito ang malaking pagpapahalaga ng Administrasyon sa pamumuhunan para sa mga Pilipinong mag-aaral at sa human capital.

 

“Consistent with the message of the President, we’re really giving priority to education. As a matter of fact, I didn’t highlight this during the earlier presentation, but if we didn’t notice, in the top ten, there are actually two entries for education,” ani Secretary De Leon.

 

“This might be the first time that we are seeing two entries for education in the top ten, because previously there’s just one aggregate entry for education, which just means even if we separate higher education from the basic education, it still receives a significant amount from the budget. So that’s one manifestation that the administration really puts premium on education,” dagdag niya.

 

 

Sa 3.99 porsiyento ng GDP, ang panukalang P1.326-trilyong pamumuhunan sa edukasyon ay magtataas sa gastusin ng pamahalaan para sa edukasyon sa halos 4.0 porsiyento ng ekonomiya. Sa gayon, epektibong naaabot nito sa ikalawang pagkakataon ang pinakamababang antas ng benchmark ng UNESCO Education 2030 na itinakda sa 4.0 hanggang 6.0 porsiyento ng GDP para sa gastusin sa edukasyon.

 

Ang P1.326-trilyong kabuuang halaga ay sumasalamin sa whole-of-government approach na pagtuon ng gastusin para sa edukasyon, kabilang ang mga kaugnay na gastusin sa edukasyon bukod sa budget para sa principal national education agencies.

 

 

Bukod sa kabuuang alokasyon, naglalaan ang panukalang budget ng malaking pondo para mapabuti ang kalidad ng pagtuturo at mapalawak ang access sa edukasyon.

 

Nasa kabuuang P12.09 bilyon ang panukalang budget para sa Expanded Career Progression System para sa mga guro sa pampublikong paaralan, halos doble ng antas nito noong FY 2026, upang suportahan ang reclassification at career advancement ng mga guro.

 

Karagdagang P10.36 bilyon naman ang inilaan upang ipagpatuloy ang P10,000 Teaching Allowance sa ilalim ng Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act.

 

Para sa tertiary education, naglalaan ang panukalang badyet ng P61.10 bilyon para sa Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) Program sa State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), at TESDA upang suportahan ang libreng higher education, Tertiary Education Subsidies, at libreng technical-vocational education and training.

 

Kabilang sa panukalang alokasyon ang P27.44 bilyon para sa mga pangangailangan ng UAQTE ng mga SUC, P27.79 bilyon sa ilalim ng CHED, at P5.87 bilyon sa ilalim ng TESDA, na higit pang magpapalawak sa mga oportunidad para sa mga Pilipinong nais mag-aral sa kolehiyo at kumuha ng technical-vocational education.

 

Ipinapakita rin ng Administrasyon ang pangako nitong ipagpatuloy ang libreng higher education sa kasalukuyang taon. Nitong buwan, naglabas ang DBM ng P9.753 bilyon upang tugunan ang validated funding deficiences para sa Free Higher Education sa 108 State Universities and Colleges. Layunin nitong matiyak na ang mga available na pondo ay maisasalin sa aktuwal na oportunidad sa edukasyon para sa mga Pilipinong mag-aaral.

 

Nangako rin si Secretary De Leon ng suporta ng DBM sa mga repormang tinukoy ng Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), kabilang ang mga hakbang upang mas maiayon ang mga susunod na budget sa pangmatagalang education reform agenda ng bansa.

 

“We commit to fully support these reforms as enshrined in the development plan of EDCOM,” ani Secretary De Leon.

 

Para sa DBM, binibigyang-diin ng panukalang P1.326-trilyong pamumuhunan sa edukasyon na ang pangako ng Administrasyon ay higit pa sa pagpapanatili lamang sa edukasyon bilang pinakamalaking prayoridad sa budget. Nakatuon din ito sa paglalaan ng mga pondo para sa mas mahusay na learning outcomes, mas matibay na suporta sa mga guro, mas malawak na access sa tertiary at technical education, at mga repormang makatutulong sa pagpapabuti ng sistema ng edukasyon ng bansa sa pangmatagalang panahon.