While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. drew standing ovations during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) for his statements on scrapping systems loss charges and asserting the country’s stance on the West Philippine Sea, Parañaque City 2nd District Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan pointed out another crucial highlight of the speech.
“Tulad nga nang sinabi ng Pangulong Bongbong Marcos sa kanyang SONA, ‘Edukasyon pa rin ang pangunahing nagtataguyod ng kakayahan,'” Yamsuan noted.
With the House set to tackle the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP)—where education is expected to receive the largest budget allocation—Yamsuan is rallying support for House Bill (HB) No. 7868.
The proposed legislation aims to establish a long-term plan to resolve public school textbook shortages and modernize learning materials.
”This is why with the opening of Congress’ second regular session, we are hoping our measure could be taken up and swiftly acted upon as it will once and for all address the problem of the availability of textbooks in public schools, especially in areas outside Metro Manila and Luzon,” the lawmaker said.
The second regular session of the 20th Congress opened on July 27, coinciding with President Marcos’ fifth SONA.
Citing findings from the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) via EDCOM II, Yamsuan highlighted that textbook publishing remains heavily centralized in Luzon. To improve accessibility, HB No. 7868 proposes printing elementary and secondary textbooks at the regional or provincial level whenever viable.
Additionally, the bill outlines the following key provisions:
- DepEd Transition: Mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to phase out its internal textbook printing and distribution within three years, shifting those responsibilities to private sector publishers.
- Broader NBDB Role: Directs DepEd to collaborate with the National Book Development Board (NBDB) to formulate a National Textbook and Learning Resources Plan.
- Regular Reviews: Requires a review of educational materials every five years to keep pace with student needs.
While acknowledging DepEd’s efforts—such as allocating ₱19.5 billion for textbook production and early procurement—Yamsuan emphasized the necessity of institutionalizing these measures under a unified blueprint.
“Formulating a National Textbook and Learning Resources Plan will not only see to it that enough textbooks are available for our public school learners, it will also ensure that these and other learning materials are relevant and effective in educating future-ready Filipino learners,” Yamsuan added.
Malacañang is set to turn over the proposed 2027 NEP to the House of Representatives on August 14.