Enabling the agency to address gaps and other necessities in terms of physical facilities.
For the year 2026, the Department of Education’s historic over PHP1 trillion budget was approved by the Congress, with the funding set to be used for various programs and other expenditures of the department.
Of which, PHP85.41 billion was set for Basic Education Facilities next year, with Education Secretary Sonny Angara noting that bigger fund shows the trust of the Senate in the reforms being done in the agency to expedite procurement, strengthen partnerships, and expand construction modalities.
“Malinaw ang mensahe na handang tumaya ang pamahalaan para sa kabataan. Basta may pondo at reporma, mas mabilis nating maipapatayo ang mga paaralan,” said Angara.
Likewise, the upper chamber of the House also gave a thumbs up to the flexibility of DepEd to seek different modalities to solve the classroom shortage.
Senate Committee on Basic Education chair Bam Aquino and Senate Finance Committee chair Sen. Win Gatchalian both underscored that DepEd might seek the best modality each year and double down on the fastest and cost-effective approach.
Gatchalian also noted that the budget utilization lf DepEd does not include school-building projects, which are under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)—which he noted to have affected the view performance of DepEd.
However, he praised DepEd in its bid to improve systems with delays, especially those concerning the procurement of textbooks, furniture, and vouchers.
The infrastructure budget of the Education Department also increased by PHP65.98 billion, with the funds directly going to the construction and repair of over 20,000 classrooms, tech-voc laboratories, and water sanitation facilities that will benefit 1 million students nationwide.
A PHP7.73 billion increase also went to the repair and of 11,886 classrooms. Separately, there are other allocations for furniture and leasing of facilities and completion of unfinished classrooms.
A PHP1 billion Library Hubs program will enable DepEd to build 72 hubs across the country, while the Special Needs Education will add 16 Inclusive Learning Resource Centers.
There is also a PHP2 billion allocation for Medium-Rise School Buildings to build three multi-storey facilities for cogested and fast-growing school communities.
Sec. Angara said, “Ang inaprubahan ng Senado ay nagbibigay sa atin ng sapat na puwang para magtayo nang mas mabilis, mag-ayos nang mas matalino, at mag-deliver nang mas maayos. Kung sabay-sabay tayong kikilos—pamahalaan, LGUs, komunidad—mas mapapabilis ang pagbabago sa ating mga paaralan.”