Bicam raises DepEd budget to ₱961.3 B

The Bicameral Conference Committee approved an P86.8-billion increase in the budget of the Department of Education (DepEd), raising its total allocation in the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) from P874.5 billion to P961.3 billion.

- ELLSON QUISMORIO

House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing bared this on the first day of the bicam hearings on the proposed national budget for 2026.

"I just like to highlight the biggest increase and that would be in terms of classrooms, in terms of textbooks, and when it comes to the school-based feeding program," said the Harvard-educated solon, who heads the House contingent in the bicam hearings.

The bicam discussions—livesstreamed for the very first time—focused on harmonizing the differing provisions between the House and Senate versions of the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026.

The GAB emanated from the 2026 NEP, which was prepared by the executive branch.

"It is important to inform our fellow citizens that whatever program of the [DepEd] we did not go below the NEP. All programs were raised above the level of the NEP," Suansing said in her manifestation.

"I just wanted to manifest this so we can show that what both Congress and the Senate are saying is indeed true that we are truly giving the highest priority to education in the 2026 budget."

The House appropriations panel chairperson said the Basic Education Facilities Program fund was raised by a total of P57.3 billion.

"So my estimate is this will lead to the construction of a minimum of 35,000 classrooms for the year 2026," she said. "That is good, because if we recall, what our President mentioned in his SONA was the target of 40,000 classrooms to be built by 2028. With the Basic Education Facilities Program we have allocated for 2026, we can almost fill that target; just a little more, and we will already hit the goal supposed to be for 2028."