Nearly ₱9 billion has been allocated under the proposed 2026 national budget to expand the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, aimed at accelerating learning recovery among Filipino students, Senator Win Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian cited Department of Education (DepEd) Middle of School Year Assessment results showing measurable gains in reading readiness. Learners in Grades 3 to 6 posted an average improvement of five points, while Grades 7 to 10 recorded gains ranging from six to nine points. These improvements translate to about 3.42 million learners in Grades 3 to 6 and 1.72 million learners in Grades 7 to 10 moving closer to grade-level reading proficiency.
The senator said full support for the ARAL Program forms part of the historic funding for the education sector in 2026, calling it a critical step in addressing the country’s long-standing learning crisis. Gatchalian is the sponsor of the Academic Recovery and Learning (ARAL) Program Act.
Under the 2026 budget, ₱8.96 billion has been earmarked for the ARAL Program, which is expected to engage around 440,000 tutors and reach 6.7 million learners nationwide for School Year 2026–2027.
