Manila, Philippines – Education Secretary Sonny Angara expressed hope on Sunday that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would address the P12-billion budget cut faced by the Department of Education (DepEd) for 2025. Angara stressed the importance of making education a top priority in government spending.
What’s Happening with the Education Budget?
Last week, lawmakers approved the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), which outlines the country’s budget for next year. While the total DepEd budget for 2025 is higher than it was in 2024, the government reduced the proposed funding by P12 billion, significantly impacting education programs.
Among the cuts:
- P10 billion was taken from DepEd’s Computerization Program, which was designed to modernize classrooms with computers and address the digital divide among students.
- Funding for hiring new teachers was also reduced by P1.5 billion, making it harder to meet teacher-to-student ratio goals.
Additionally, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) saw its budget slashed by P30 billion.
Secretary Angara Speaks Up
In an Instagram post, Secretary Angara expressed disappointment over the budget reduction. He noted that in previous years, Congress had increased the President’s proposed budget for education. However, this year’s scenario is different.
“Budgeting is really about priorities, and education is too important not to be one. The good thing is that President Marcos himself assured us he would find a way to resolve this,” Angara said.
Angara also explained that while the education budget increased compared to last year, the rise is still insufficient to address critical needs such as hiring more teachers and implementing salary adjustments under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).
Teacher Support Amid Budget Cuts
Despite the challenges, Senator Grace Poe, Chairperson of the Senate Finance Committee, highlighted that efforts are being made to support educators.
“We doubled the teaching supplies allowance from P4.825 billion in 2024 to P9.948 billion in 2025,” Poe said.
She emphasized that teachers and students are the heart of the education system, suggesting that the focus should be on human resources rather than just computers.
Poe also mentioned a Commission on Audit (COA) report showing that only 50% of the 2023 Computerization Program budget was utilized due to procurement delays. She urged the government to address this issue before allocating more funds to the program.
President Marcos to the Rescue?
President Marcos has assured officials, including Secretary Angara, that he will find ways to resolve the budget cuts. He is expected to sign the 2025 national budget on December 20, according to Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez of the Presidential Communications Office.
What’s at Stake?
The education sector is facing significant hurdles:
- Ensuring enough teachers for classrooms.
- Modernizing learning tools like computers.
- Keeping teacher salaries competitive.
Secretary Angara’s plea to prioritize education funding reflects the urgency of investing in the country’s future. For now, all eyes are on President Marcos to see how he addresses these pressing challenges.
