EDUCATION AT HEART OF GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN THE YOUTH — SPEAKER DY

Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Saturday said the Marcos administration and Congress are putting education at the center of government investments, with the proposed 2027 national budget providing the sector its biggest allocation to give Filipino children a fair opportunity to finish school and build a better future.

Speaking before students, scholars, local officials, and sectoral representatives during the fourth LegisHear public consultation in South Cotabato, Speaker Dy said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has placed education among his administration’s most important priorities.

“Ngayong araw na ‘to nakita ko po ang dami po nating mga kabataan dito at napakahalaga po samin, alam niyo po ang mahal nating pangulo – Pangulong Bongbong Marcos. Nakita ninyo ang pinakamalaki at pinakamahalagang programa sa kanya ay ang edukasyon,” the Speaker said.

“Nandyan nakikita ninyo kung gaano kalaki ang nilalaan na pondo para matiyak ng ating mga kabataan na magiging matatag ang kanyang pundasyon at magiging maganda ang kinabukasan… kaya nandito po kami upang lalo pa po nating suportahan at dagdagan.”

At a press briefing following the program, Speaker Dy said that commitment is reflected in the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027, where education receives the largest allocation.

“As I have said earlier during my speech ang sabi ko nga po ang priority rito ay ang education — ang laki ang nilagay natin dyan sa education. Out of the 7.2 trillion proposed budget for next year sila yung pinakamalaking nilaanan natin ng budget para matiyak ng bawat Pilipinong kabataan ay mabigyan ng patas na pagkakataon para matiyak natin na maging maganda ang kanilang kinabukasan,” he said.

The proposed 2027 budget includes P1.326 trillion for basic and higher education, including P975.96 billion proposed for the Department of Education and P176.5 billion for higher education, apart from funding for TESDA and other education-related programs.

Government has also strengthened support for students through the recently enacted amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which expand assistance for disadvantaged learners and opportunities for qualified students to receive government support for higher education and technical-vocational training.

The increased investments and reforms come as Philippine learners posted gains across all three core subjects in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) compared with 2022. The country’s reading score rose by 20 points to 367, science by 17 points to 373, and mathematics by 16 points to 371, providing encouraging signs of progress even as government continues efforts to further improve learning outcomes.

“Pinatatatag natin hindi lamang simula sa pinakamababa, katunayan kaka-pirma lang ng ating pangulo na lalo pang pinalakas na batas para lalong tumugon sa mga kailangan ng ating mga kabataan at pinagaganda natin lalo ang ating mga sistema para masiguro natin ang bawat kabataang Pilipino ay mabigyan ng oportunidad,” Speaker Dy said.

In South Cotabato, the Speaker announced that assistance under the Tulong Dunong Program would be increased to help more students in the province continue their studies.

The House has also approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 8627, authored by Senior Deputy Speaker and South Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Ferdinand “Dinand” Hernandez, which seeks to convert South Cotabato State College into the South Cotabato State University. The measure is awaiting action in the Senate. (RM)