HOUSE Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III announced Monday evening that the House has set aside an additional ₱10.06 billion for education programs in the proposed 2027 national budget, paired with new laws designed to remove financial barriers to schooling. “To every young Filipino striving to reach their dreams: Congress is your partner. Poverty should never stand in the way of a Filipino youth finishing their education,” Dy declared, emphasizing that the investments aim to expand access, improve safety, and support learners from basic through tertiary education.
The increased funding targets key areas: ₱2.1 billion for the Tertiary Education Subsidy, ₱1.93 billion for the Basic Education Voucher Program covering kindergarten through Grade 6, ₱1.77 billion for the Tulong Dunong Program, and ₱500 million for the School Safety and Security Program. “Beyond protecting our children, we must ensure they have the chance to study, graduate, and build a bright future,” Dy stated, noting that the safety allocation responds directly to parents’ concerns while the other funds widen educational opportunity.
Complementing the budget, the House also passed and enacted landmark measures: the Basic Education Voucher Assistance Act, which extends voucher support down to kindergarten and elementary learners; amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, prioritizing students from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households and expanding aid for disadvantaged youth; and ratification of the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program as a LEDAC priority. Together, these legislative and budgetary steps form a comprehensive push to make quality education accessible to more Filipinos regardless of background.
metrosundaily
