House panel OKs additional P1.95 billion for school safety

Security officials at Ramon Magsaysay High School in Cubao, Quezon City inspect students’ bags before they enter the premises on August 24, 2026.

Michael Varcas

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on appropriations’ budget amendments review subcommittee (BARSc) has approved the Department of Education (DepEd)’s requested P1.952-billion additional funding for school safety and other unfunded programs.

Of the additional funds, P952 million will be for the Basic Education Facilities Fund to construct classrooms; P500 million for the School Safety and Security Program; P350 million for the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program; P75 million for Special Needs Education; P50 million for Madrasah Education and P25 million for Indigenous Peoples Education.

DepEd was previously allocated P975.96 billion in the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

DepEd said the P350-million boost for the ARAL Program will sustain tutoring and remediation for targeted learners nationwide. 

During School Year 2025-2026, targeted recovery interventions helped reduce the number of struggling readers nationwide from 6.7 million to 2.2 million.

The government has proposed P11.03 billion for the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers program in 2027, targeting 672,776 disadvantaged and displaced workers nationwide.

The proposed outlay is maintained at the 2026 NEP level.

Budget watchdog access denied

Budget watchdogs seeking to monitor the House's review of amendments to the national budget said they were denied access to BARSc proceedings.

“These executive meetings have historically been the avenue to make congressional insertions in the national budget,” Tim Salomon of the Caucus of Development Non-Government Organizations Network told The STAR.

People’s Budget Coalition said civil society organizations and member of the media were not allowed to monitor the BARSc proceedings onsite. — Christine Boton, Aubrey Rose Inosante