Group urges lawmakers to reverse cuts to DepEd's 2027 budget
Civil society group E-Net Philippines is calling on lawmakers to reverse proposed budget cuts for the Department of Education in 2027. The group highlights that reductions in funding for special needs, indigenous, and alternative learning programs will disproportionately affect vulnerable students.
Why it matters
Budgetary shifts in education directly impact the accessibility of schooling for marginalized communities and out-of-school youth in the Philippines.
MANILA, Philippines - A civil society group has urged lawmakers to reverse cuts to several programs under the proposed 2027 budget for the Department of Education (DepEd) and direct more resources to learners and communities facing barriers to education.
Education-Network (E-Net) Philippines lamented the drop in DepEd's budget from P1.01 trillion in 2026 to P973.40 billion in 2027.
READ: Angara: 2027 DepEd budget lower due to infra being defunded
"We are deeply concerned that programs intended for learners and communities already facing the greatest barriers are among those being reduced," E-Net said in a press release on Monday.
Under the proposed budget for next year, funding for Special Needs Education (SNED) will fall by about 18.5 percent, from P1.043 billion in 2026 to P849.98 million in 2027.
Funds for Indigenous Peoples Education were slashed by more than half, from P154.436 million to P76.168 million.
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