Senator Sherwin Gatchalian recently addressed concerns about the constitutionality of the 2025 Government Appropriations Act, emphasizing that the budgets allocated to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) are indeed part of the education sector’s funding. During a regular session at the Kapihan sa Senado, Gatchalian argued that these institutions, which offer Bachelor of Science degrees, fall under the category of tertiary education institutions (TEIs), thereby qualifying them as part of the broader education sector.
Gatchalian, who leads the Senate Committee on Basic Education and co-chairs the 2nd Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), pointed out that the confusion stems from a narrow interpretation of education as solely pertaining to basic education or the Department of Education (DepEd). He clarified that the Constitution simply mentions ‘education’ without specifying basic, tertiary, or technical-vocational education, thus encompassing all forms of education.
The senator highlighted that Article XIV, Section 5 (5) of the Constitution mandates the State to prioritize education in its budget and ensure that teaching attracts and retains top talent through adequate compensation and job satisfaction. Gatchalian confirmed that the education sector remains the top priority in the 2025 General Appropriations Act, with a total allocation of PHP1.055 trillion, surpassing other sectors after adjustments to the Department of Public Works and Highways budget.
This allocation is distributed among various educational bodies, including DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Local Government Academy, the Philippine Public Safety College, the National Defense College of the Philippines, the Philippine Science High School System, the Science Education Institute, state universities and colleges, as well as the PNPA and PMA.