Students of Pinyahan Elementary School, supervised by their respective teachers, initiate their 'Catch-up Fridays' program by reading storybooks inside their classrooms on January 12, 2024.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file 

MANILA — Former senator and current Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara flagged the fund reduction in his agency from the final version of the 2025 budget approved by the Bicameral Conference Committee.

In a chance interview with reporters in Iloilo province, Angara said he is saddened that the bulk of the budget cut, amounting to P10 billion, was on the department’s computerization program.

DepEd tiniyak na may pondo para matulungan ang last-mile schools

“Medyo nalulungkot kami doon kasi gusto medyo moderno ang ating edukasyon at yung ating mga teachers at estudyante ay may nagagamit na makabagong teknolohiya, mga computers,” he said.  

(We are saddened by this because we want to modernize education and for our teachers and students to utilize technology like computers.) 

“Kasi hindi rin nila magagamit yung kaalaman o 'yung knowledge na nasa internet, new education technology, medyo mahihirapan sila kung wala silang computer," he added.

PH students need better access to computers to boost test scores: Angara

 The Education chief raised concerns the widening of the digital divide following this development.

 (Knowledge from the internet will not be put into use, new education technology. It will be hard because they have no computers.) 

ACT Teachers Partylist Representative France Castro also condemned the Marcos Jr. administration's budget cut, calling it “a clear manifestation of the government’s anti-education and anti-poor policies.” 

“Paano nga ba maiibsan ang learning crisis kung binabawasan pa ang pondo ng edukasyon? Ang P10 billion na kinat sa computerization program ay malaking dagok sa ating mga mag-aaral na desperadong makahabol sa digital age,” Castro said in a statement.

(How will the learning crisis be solved if education's budget was reduced? The P10 billion meant for computerization program that was cut will result to a hefty burden that students who can hardly catch up with the digital age will have to bear.)

 The lawmaker said that students, teachers and education support personnel should not suffer from “anomalies” made by the department’s former secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte. 

 “The answer to corruption is not to decrease funding but to strengthen accountability measures and increase support for our learners.” 

Meanwhile, former ACT Teachers Partylist representative Antonio Tino sought the immediate restoration of the slashed budget.

 “This administration talks about economic recovery but how can we achieve that when we're compromising our children's future? Education is a right, not a privilege. Kung may pondo para sa confidential funds at infrastructure projects, dapat may pondo rin para sa edukasyon ng ating kabataan,” Tino said.

ZERO SUBSIDY FOR PHILHEALTH, HIGHER BUDGET FOR DPWH

In a Facebook post, Senator Ronald dela Rosa called out the zero subsidy for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation while the budget for aid programs — which he claimed were politicized —  grew.

"Zero for PhilHealth but 76B for AKAP & AICS kasi sa Philhealth hindi ka magkaka-utang [na] loob sa politiko pero sa AKAP at AICS magpapasalamat ka sa pulitiko. Very useful ito this coming elections," he wrote.

Congress did not give the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) any subsidy allocation in 2025, citing unutilized funds, which the Commission on Audit (COA) said the health agency could have used to expand the members' benefits.

Former senator Panfilo Lacson meantime called out the increase in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DWPH).

 "Noticeably, the 2025 DPWH budget increased by P213 billion, from P900 billion under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to P1.113 trillion after the bicameral conference committee," Lacson said.

DPWH explains delay in some flood control projects

"Having said that, assuming it comes from congressional insertions, let me reiterate my usual and (often)-repeated concern about poor or lack of proper planning and vetting by the DPWH, which has the proper authority to implement these “whimsically inserted” budgeted items that could very well end up in either unutilization of funds or poor implementation that will not be responsive to the needs and priorities of the country in general and the communities in particular," he added.