The Senate has approved on third and final reading its version of the 2026 national budget, marking the first time the country’s education allocation meets the United Nations benchmark for education spending. Senator Win Gatchalian, Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, announced that the Senate version allocates P1.37 trillion to the education sector—equivalent to 4.5% of the country’s GDP, falling within UNESCO’s recommended 4–6% range.

“Titiyakin natin na mabibigyang prayoridad ang mga mahahalagang programa upang mapalawak ang access sa edukasyon at mapatatag ang pundasyon ng mga kabataan,” Gatchalian said. The Senate added P19.2 billion to the General Appropriations Bill to fund the construction of more than 24,000 new classrooms nationwide.

The School-Based Feeding Program will receive P28.6 billion to cover 200 school days and benefit 4.8 million learners, including all Kindergarten and Grade 1 students, and nutritionally at-risk pupils from Grades 2 to 6. State Universities and Colleges will get P139.03 billion, or P7.35 billion more than the House-approved version, to expand capacity after at least 168,000 qualified students were earlier denied admission due to lack of space.

Gatchalian also highlighted the P1 billion allocation under the Local Government Support Fund to convert over 3,000 daycare centers into Child Development Centers in 4th and 5th class municipalities, along with 150 plantilla positions for Child Development Workers.