Senate Committee on Finance to Design 2026 National Budget as "Education Budget"

Strategic Insights -

The Senate Committee on Finance, under the chairmanship of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, aims to design the 2026 national budget with a focus on education, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) that identified education as a priority. The committee plans to raise the education budget to at least 4 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), from its current level of 3.8 percent to 3.9 percent. Key areas that will receive increased funding include the Department of Education's (DepEd) ARAL Program, which provides tutoring and targeted interventions for early grade learners who struggle with reading and numeracy.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 2026 national budget will be designed as an "education budget," with a focus on aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s SONA.
  • The Senate Committee on Finance aims to raise the education budget to at least 4 percent of the country's GDP.
  • The education budget will prioritize the Department of Education's (DepEd) ARAL Program, which provides tutoring and targeted interventions for early grade learners.
  • The program will focus on addressing early grade reading and numeracy from Kindergarten to Grade 3.
  • The Senate will also push for the revival of the "counterparting program" with local government units (LGUs) to co-fund classroom construction.
  • The committee will recommend hiring more teacher aides to reduce the non-teaching workload of public school teachers and allow them to focus on instruction.
  • The strategic investments will help meet the 4 percent of GDP target for education and ensure that reforms are aligned with measurable outcomes in student learning and teacher support.

Statistics:

  • The current education budget is at 3.8 percent of GDP.
  • The Senate aims to raise this to at least 3.9 percent of GDP in 2026.
  • The target for 2026 is 4 percent of GDP for education.
  • Early grade reading and numeracy will be prioritized from Kindergarten to Grade 3.
  • The education budget will prioritize the ARAL Program, which provides support for early grade learners who struggle with reading and numeracy.

Sources:

  • Gatchalian, S. (2023). Senate Committee on Finance to design 2026 national budget with a focus on education. Philippines News Agency.