President Marcos Jr. Advocates for Increased Education Budget Amid Cuts

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is advocating for a larger budget for the education sector after the Department of Education (DepEd) faced budget reductions and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) encountered funding issues for its 2025 programs. During a budget review meeting at Malacañan Palace, Marcos stressed the importance of prioritizing education. He was informed that the DepEd’s budget for 2025, set at PHP737 billion by Congress, falls short of the requested PHP748 billion, potentially worsening the teacher shortage. The budget cuts affected funding for new school staff, the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), and the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP). The DCP, which was allocated only PHP2.43 billion out of a requested PHP12.379 billion, led to the cancellation of PHP4 billion worth of projects. These reductions will impact the provision of essential educational tools and the construction of school facilities. Additionally, Marcos supported TESDA’s efforts to find funding solutions for its unfunded initiatives, despite an increase in its overall budget from PHP18.5 billion to PHP20.73 billion. Key TESDA programs, such as the establishment of an Enterprise-based Training Office and a new office for the Negros Island Region, remain unfunded.