28/11/2025
With Youth Influencing the Historic Educ Budget, All 2026 Budget
Multiply-Ed Philippines (X-Ed) welcomes the Senateโs approval of the โฑ1.044-trillion budget for the Department of Education (DepEd), which marks the single largest education allocation in Philippine history. It is a recognitionโlong fought for by students, teachers, and the civil society: that the classroom is the frontline of national development. But for Multiply-Ed Philippines and the broader youth movement behind the Amplify-Ed Coalition, this moment is more than a number. It is the culmination of months of monitoring, lobbying, research, and public pressure to redirect government priorities towards measurable improvements in the lives of learners. Through these efforts, we sought to ensure that learnersโ basic needs remained central to budget deliberations. While we do not claim sole credit for legislative outcomes, these interventions helped bring youth perspectives into broader conversations around education funding.
Even with this progress, Multiply-Ed has previously pointed out in its statements and in the position papers submitted to the House and Senate that, although the education budget has been sizable in past years, it still did not meet the recommended share of GDP needed to address the structural problems in Philippine basic education. While the allocation may have reached the lower end of the 4โ6% of GDP target for education spendingโ3.4% of GDP for Basic Educationโit remains below the 6% โSix Will Fixโ goal that we, together with fellow education advocates, have long cited.
Precisely because the 2026 DepEd budget is the largest in history, Multiply-Ed Philippines stresses that its implementation must be subjected to even closer monitoring, with strong legislative oversight, transparency in spending, and continued civil society engagement.
In this context, the Senate version makes meaningful advancements over the House proposal, addressing long-standing deficits that Multiply-Ed flagged in our monitoring and position papers. However, these gains will only translate into real progress if the bicameral conference committee preserves them and further strengthens remaining gaps.
This budget rightfully reflects a more learner-centered and equitable approachโbut allocations alone do not guarantee impact. Multiply-Ed Philippines through its budget campaign, Amplify-Ed Coalition, remains the only youth-led CSO consistently advocating for a transparent, learner-centered, and accountable education budget. It urges the bicameral conference committee to preserve the Senateโs gains, reject politically-driven or opaque realignments, and strengthen remaining gaps: particularly in securing school sites, fully staffing guidance counselors, and ensuring timely delivery of learning resources. And while the Senate has removed half of the unprogrammed funds from the House version, we reiterate our strong condemnation of the remaining โฑ100 billion in Unprogrammed Appropriations, and we call on the government to eliminate these discretionary pools from the national budget.
In an October media conference, President Marcos expressed his intent to livestream the bicameral proceedings, which would be a positive step toward transparency. As the date of the actual bicam draws near in December, it is now the responsibility of lawmakers and civil society to ensure that this commitment is upheld and translated into meaningful public accountability. And while a livestream opens opportunities for public scrutiny, Multiply-Ed Philippines emphasizes that transparency should not be limited to livestreams or observation-only access to selected hearings. There remains undeniably significant room for civil society organizations, youth groups, and education advocates to meaningfully engage with legislation and hold decision-makers accountable. We reiterate our call for a truly transparent, participatory, and open budget process.
The 2026 DepEd budget should be seen not as a final solution but as a platform for sustained reform. While the Senateโs approval of a historic allocation is meritorious and worth acknowledging, such milestones are hollow if funds are ultimately diverted, delayed, or mismanaged. To ensure that this budget delivers tangible benefits, we must have the space to hold lawmakers and implementing agencies accountable and to be able to rigorously monitor disbursement. We urge lawmakers, implementing agencies, and civil society actors to exercise sustained vigilanceโnot only over the flow of funds, but also over DepEdโs ability to deploy them efficiently, responsibly, and transparently. Historical precedents, such as flood control projects that received substantial allocations yet were later compromised by inefficiencies and corruption, demonstrate the risks that accompany large budgets without strong monitoring. It is therefore essential that similar challenges be avoided in the education sector.
Only through sustained oversight and actual participatory engagement can this historic allocation fulfill its potential to serve Filipino learners nationwide.
Access the full statement here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wvjqG1VsMiRyHfpbcpQ3XKWJVBTVl5gwY1yJC8sn-9k/edit?usp=sharing
Know more about our campaign here: linktr.ee/AmplifyEducBudget
