The Senate Committee on Finance will closely monitor the government’s use of the country’s largest-ever education budget, Senator Win Gatchalian said Tuesday, stressing that oversight is key to turning record spending into real gains.
Gatchalian, who chairs the panel, warned that scale alone does not guarantee results.
“Isang hakbang ang paglalaan natin ng malaking pondo para sa edukasyon, ngunit mahalaga ring matiyak nating magagamit ito nang tama para sa kapakanan ng ating mga mag-aaral at mga guro,” he said in a statement.
The ₱1.35 trillion allocation under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., represents 4.4% of GDP—meeting for the first time UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 4% to 6%.
Key provisions include ₱85 billion for classroom construction, ₱25.6 billion to expand the School-Based Feeding Program from 120 to 200 days, and ₱37.4 billion to sustain tuition-free education in state universities and colleges under the Free College Law.
The historic funding boost aims to ease classroom shortages, improve student health, and uphold universal access to higher education, with the Senate pledging strict oversight to ensure effective implementation.