One of the key takeaways from the recent flood control plunder is that budget allocation without working accountability at all levels – at planning, authorization, implementation and accountability stages – can mean public resources lost to corruption. It is not enough that budget is allocated for services and programs that are crucial, budget advocates need to also ensure that budget allocated are actually implemented according to plan and following key standards critical to the people.
The Philippines has allocated the highest-ever budget for education this 2026 amounting to Php 1.38 trillion. This can be deemed as a decisive government response to the education crisis, which is a result of growing demands for systemic change in public education system with active participation of the youth.
The Department of Education calculates that the 2026 education budget meets the global standards of 4% of GDP for the first time in history. Multiply-Ed, on the other hand, argues that the budget does not meet the global standard set by UNESCO as the government calculation included items that are not strictly for basic education. Multiply-Ed, through its budget campaign called Amplify-Ed that has been engaging the congressional budget deliberations since 2023, also calls out key gaps in the budget based on its monitoring.
Meanwhile, more and more attention is also being given to the role of local governments in education, particularly on how they are allocating and spending their Special Education Fund (SEF). Given its primary function of supplementing education resources given the decentralized structure of the public education system, it is more crucial that local government education spending would be informed by data on what are the key gaps that must be prioritized. This is where accountability is also most crucial.
On 25 April 2026, Multiply-Ed will convene a budget accountability forum in Puerto Princesa as a side event of its ongoing Youth-Led Education Reform Regional Conference to help enable a multi-level accountability in the education budget. Specifically, the forum will involve the following:
- A presentation of the highlights of the 2026 education budget, particularly the trends on allocation for items Multiply-Ed and the rest of the student sector deem important, namely classrooms, textbooks, mental health particularly allocation for guidance counsellors, support to marginalized learners and teacher items;
- A look into the budget allocation and spending of the division offices of DepEd in Palawan on Multiply-Ed priority items ; and
- A review of the Special Education Fund allocation and spending in Puerto Princesa.
The forum will invite concerned duty-bearers from the Department of Education, Commission on Audit and the local government. It will also convene the Multiply-Ed network in Palawan as key immediate stakeholders of the education budget.
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