DBM Press Release
DBM allocates higher funding to expand free higher education, tertiary subsidies, and technical-vocational training
Expanding access to tertiary and technical-vocational education remains a priority of the Marcos Administration, with P61.10 billion earmarked for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) Program under the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Budget.
The increased investment will support free higher education in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and qualified Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), financial assistance for students through the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), and free technical-vocational education and training in public institutions.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon said the proposed funding reflects the Marcos Administration’s continued investment in Filipino human capital, recognizing education and skills development as key drivers of the country’s long-term competitiveness.
“These investments focus more on building the human capital that will determine our country’s competitiveness for decades to come,” the Budget Chief said during the FY 2027 Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) Briefing at the House of Representatives.
The proposed UAQTE allocation for SUCs increases by P1.30 billion, or 5.0 percent, from the FY 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), driven by the growing number of enrollees from FYs 2023 to 2025. The higher allocation will allow the government to accommodate more students pursuing their first undergraduate degree in SUCs, subject to the admission and retention policies of their respective institutions.
Overall SUC budget up by P6.10 billion in proposed 2027 budget
Beyond the higher UAQTE allocation, the DBM clarified that the overall proposed budget for SUCs is also higher on an NEP-to-NEP basis, contrary to claims that government funding for state universities and colleges has been reduced.
Under the FY 2027 NEP, SUCs are proposed to receive a total of P141.090 billion, P6.099 billion or 4.5 percent higher than the P134.991 billion provided under the FY 2026 NEP.
While the proposed FY 2027 allocation is P2.979 billion or 2.1 percent lower than the FY 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the DBM explained that the difference is largely attributable to non-recurring expenditures included in the FY 2026 GAA, such as research projects and Congress-initiated locally funded projects.
In particular, Personnel Services (PS) for SUCs increases by P7.421 billion or 9.6 percent, from P76.959 billion in FY 2026 to P84.380 billion under the proposed FY 2027 budget.
The DBM stressed that comparing the FY 2027 NEP solely against the FY 2026 GAA without accounting for these non-recurring items may give the misleading impression that government support for SUCs has been reduced. On a comparable NEP-to-NEP basis, funding for SUCs has increased.
For the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the proposed UAQTE allocation increases by P383 million, or 1.4 percent, from the FY 2026 NEP, primarily due to the additional number of beneficiaries in newly recognized LUCs. The funding will support free higher education in CHED-recognized LUCs and the Tertiary Education Subsidy.
Meanwhile, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) proposed UAQTE funding increases by P814 million, or 16.1 percent, from the FY 2026 NEP to support new entrants for diploma courses, including new entrants under the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program.
Under Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, qualified students in SUCs and CHED-recognized LUCs may pursue their first undergraduate degree without paying tuition and other school fees, subject to the requirements of the law and their respective institutions.
President Marcos likewise emphasized in his FY 2027 Budget Message that financial constraints should not prevent deserving Filipinos from pursuing higher education and technical-vocational training.
“Beyond basic education, we shall also ensure that financial constraints do not prevent deserving Filipinos from pursuing higher education and technical-vocational training. By expanding access to affordable tertiary education, we are investing in a workforce that is more productive, innovative, and globally competitive,” he said.
Through the proposed FY 2027 National Budget, the Marcos Administration continues to invest in education as a long-term investment in the Filipino people—expanding opportunities for students today while developing a more skilled, productive, innovative, and globally competitive workforce for the future.
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FILIPINO VERSION
NEWS MATERIAL
Department Budget and Management
28 August 2026
Marcos admin itinaas ang 2027 budget para sa Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education, mas maraming estudyante, matutulungan sa pag-aaral sa kolehiyo
DBM, nagdagdag ng pondo para palawakin ang libreng higher education, tertiary education subsidies, at technical-vocational training
Nananatiling prayoridad ng Marcos Administration ang pagpapalawak ng access sa tertiary at technical-vocational education, kung saan P61.10 bilyon ang inilaan para sa Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) Program sa ilalim ng panukalang National Budget para sa Fiscal Year (FY) 2027.
Susuportahan ng dagdag na pondo ang libreng higher education sa State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) at mga qualified na Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), financial assistance para sa mga estudyante sa pamamagitan ng Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), at libreng technical-vocational education and training sa mga pampublikong institusyon.
Ayon kay Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon, ipinapakita ng panukalang pondo ang patuloy na pamumuhunan ng Marcos Administration sa Filipino human capital, at kinikilala ang edukasyon at skills development bilang key drivers ng long-term competitiveness ng bansa.
“These investments focus more on building the human capital that will determine our country’s competitiveness for decades to come,” pahayag ng Budget Chief sa FY 2027 Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) Briefing sa House of Representatives.
Nadagdagan ng P1.30 bilyon, o 5.0 percent, ang panukalang UAQTE allocation para sa SUCs kumpara sa FY 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), bunsod ng patuloy na pagdami ng mga naka-enroll mula FY 2023 hanggang FY 2025. Dahil sa mas mataas na alokasyon, mas marami pang estudyante ang maaaring makapag-aral para sa kanilang unang undergraduate degree sa SUCs, alinsunod sa admission at retention policies ng kani-kanilang institusyon.
Kabuuang budget para sa SUCs, tumaas ng P6.10 bilyon sa panukalang 2027 budget
Bukod sa mas mataas na UAQTE allocation, nilinaw ng DBM na mas mataas din ang kabuuang panukalang budget para sa SUCs kapag NEP-to-NEP ang basehan, taliwas sa mga pahayag na nabawasan ang pondo ng pamahalaan para sa mga state universities and colleges.
Sa ilalim ng FY 2027 NEP, nakatakdang makatanggap ang SUCs ng kabuuang P141.090 bilyon, mas mataas ng P6.099 bilyon o 4.5 percent kumpara sa P134.991 bilyon na inilaan sa ilalim ng FY 2026 NEP.
Bagama’t mas mababa ng P2.979 bilyon o 2.1 percent ang panukalang FY 2027 allocation kumpara sa FY 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), ipinaliwanag ng DBM na ang malaking bahagi ng pagkakaiba ay dulot ng mga non-recurring expenditure na kasama sa FY 2026 GAA, gaya ng mga research project at Congress-initiated locally funded projects.
Partikular dito, tumaas ng P7.421 bilyon o 9.6 percent ang Personnel Services (PS) para sa SUCs, mula P76.959 bilyon noong FY 2026 tungo sa P84.380 bilyon sa ilalim ng panukalang FY 2027 budget.
Binigyang-diin ng DBM na ang paghahambing sa FY 2027 NEP at FY 2026 GAA lamang, nang hindi isinasaalang-alang ang mga non-recurring item na ito, ay maaaring magbigay ng maling impresyon na nabawasan ang suporta ng pamahalaan para sa SUCs. Sa isang comparable NEP-to-NEP basis, tumaas ang pondo para sa SUCs.
Para naman sa Commission on Higher Education (CHED), nadagdagan ng P383 milyon, o 1.4 percent, ang panukalang UAQTE allocation kumpara sa FY 2026 NEP, na pangunahing bunsod ng karagdagang bilang ng mga benepisyaryo sa mga bagong kinilalang LUCs. Gagamitin ang pondo upang suportahan ang libreng higher education sa mga CHED-recognized LUCs at ang Tertiary Education Subsidy.
Samantala, nadagdagan naman ng P814 milyon, o 16.1 percent, ang panukalang UAQTE funding para sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) kumpara sa FY 2026 NEP upang suportahan ang mga bagong mag-aaral sa mga diploma course, kabilang ang mga bagong benepisyaryo ng Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program.
Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 10931, o ang Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, maaaring makapag-aral nang walang bayad sa tuition at iba pang school fees ang mga kwalipikadong estudyante sa SUCs at CHED-recognized LUCs para sa kanilang unang undergraduate degree, alinsunod sa mga requirement ng batas at ng kani-kanilang institusyon.
Binigyang-diin din ni Pangulong Marcos sa kanyang FY 2027 Budget Message na hindi dapat maging hadlang ang kakulangan sa pinansiyal na kakayahan ng mga kwalipikadong Pilipino sa pagkuha ng higher education at technical-vocational training.
“Beyond basic education, we shall also ensure that financial constraints do not prevent deserving Filipinos from pursuing higher education and technical-vocational training. By expanding access to affordable tertiary education, we are investing in a workforce that is more productive, innovative, and globally competitive,” aniya.
Sa pamamagitan ng panukalang FY 2027 National Budget, patuloy na namumuhunan ang Marcos Administration sa edukasyon bilang long-term investment sa mga Pilipino—pinalalawak ang mga oportunidad para sa mga estudyante ngayon habang hinuhubog ang mas skilled, productive, innovative, at globally competitive na workforce para sa hinaharap.
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