Senate Commits to Education Budget Priority for 2026
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has pledged to ensure that the 2026 national budget firmly prioritizes education, following the 1987 Constitution’s directive to allocate the highest budgetary priority to this sector. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the newly appointed chair of the Senate finance committee, emphasized this during a recent Kapihan sa Senado forum.
Highlighting the importance of the education budget, Gatchalian declared that the upcoming budget will be recognized as “the education budget.” This reflects the government’s constitutional responsibility, as stated in Article XIV, Section 5, to not only prioritize education funding but also to attract and retain top teaching talent through competitive pay and job fulfillment.
Boosting Education Funding to 4 Percent of GDP
“First of all, we will prioritize education in the 2026 budget. This will be an education budget. We also heard it from our president—his speech dedicated a significant portion to education,” Senator Gatchalian said in Filipino, underscoring the administration’s focus.
He further revealed plans to push the education budget beyond 4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Currently, education spending hovers around 3.8 to 3.9 percent. Although the country has reached the 4 percent mark before, it had slipped below it in recent years. The 2026 budget aims to restore and exceed this benchmark to reinforce investment in education.
Context and Challenges Ahead
Concerns about education funding surfaced earlier in 2024 when critics questioned the 2025 national budget’s commitment to the sector. Many argued that the proposed General Appropriations Act did not sufficiently prioritize education spending. The Senate’s commitment for 2026 seeks to address these concerns by ensuring that education receives its rightful focus and resources.
By emphasizing education as a top priority, lawmakers hope to strengthen the country’s educational system, enhance teacher compensation, and ultimately improve learning outcomes for Filipino students nationwide.
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