Philippines Education Department Seeks Funding Boost After ARAL Program Left Out of 2027 Plan

The Philippines' Department of Education (DepEd) is asking for more money after its Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program was left with no funding in the proposed 2027 national budget, according to Rappler.

Rappler reports that the department is seeking a total budget of P976 billion, which includes an additional P145 billion for what it describes as critical programs, as covered by the Philippine News Agency. The request comes as education groups have urged lawmakers to reverse the cuts to DepEd's 2027 allocation, according to Inquirer.net.

The ARAL program is a learning recovery initiative designed to help students catch up on missed instruction. Reports indicate that a separate proposal for a PHP10 billion learning recovery program could benefit 21 million students, as noted by PageOne.ph. BusinessWorld also reports that a higher education budget for next year is being sought, though details on that request remain limited.

The zero allocation for ARAL in the proposed budget marks a significant shift from prior years when the program received dedicated funding. DepEd officials appear to be making the case that the program remains essential, particularly as schools continue to address learning gaps that emerged during the pandemic.

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The department's request for additional funding signals a potential conflict with budget planners who prepared the initial proposal. Lawmakers will now decide whether to restore or increase funding for ARAL and other education programs during budget deliberations.

What to watch next: Whether Congress restores ARAL funding during the 2027 budget review and how the final allocation compares to DepEd's P976 billion request.