P1-T 2026 DepEd budget to address learning crisis

The Department of Education (DepEd) plans to use its proposed P1.044-trillion budget for 2026 to support major education reforms aimed at addressing the country’s worsening learning crisis.

- By BELLA CARIASO

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the Senate’s version of the General Appropriations Bill substantially strengthens the department's reform initiatives, raising the allocation by 12.65 percent from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and adding P77.66 billion to the House-approved measure.

Angara said the expanded budget supports President Marcos’ directive to prioritize learning recovery, upgrade school environments and improve resource access for learners in underserved communities.

“Every peso added to the budget is a vote of confidence in our direction. It signals that Congress and the people expect us to deliver, and we intend to meet that expectation with transparency, urgency and integrity,” he said.