The Senate’s proposed 2026 national budget will allocate 4.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to education—meeting, for the first time, the United Nations benchmark of 4% to 6% of GDP, Senator Win Gatchalian announced.
Under the Senate version of the P6.793 trillion national budget, the education sector will receive P1.38 trillion, or 20% of total appropriations. Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, said the milestone allocation underscores the government’s commitment to urgently address the country’s learning crisis.
The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to receive P992.7 billion, while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will get P48.2 billion. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will receive P25.3 billion, and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) will be allotted P140.3 billion.
Several education programs also secured significant budget increases, including P3.3 billion for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, P18.08 billion for textbooks, P15.06 billion for the School-Based Feeding Program, and P19.3 billion for the construction of 19,000 to 27,000 new classrooms.
“Tiniyak natin na tutugunan ng 2026 national budget ang krisis sa edukasyon upang matupad ang pangarap natin na walang mag-aaral ang maiiwan,” Gatchalian said.
