t2 THURSDAY I education JANUARY 9,2O2O EDITOR: RA Ol{ rl. Uil
DepEd gets P2O-B budget hike
By JANVIC MATEO "The department also wel- parhnent of Budget and Man- comes the indusion ofthe salary agement (DBM) showed that The Department of Education (DepEd) will receive increase for teadring and non- among those approved wele the ov-er P521 billion for its budget this yeir, more than p20 teaching employees of the de. same amount proposed for the billion higher than last year-'s appnipriations. pa*melrt effective (this month). BEF program and the govem- This is an added motivation for ment assistance and subsidies, While the tull copy of the ceived significant increases almost a rnillion personnel of the which covers the senior hish General Appropriations Act in funding for the senior high department " it added. school voucher program. (GA"{) has yet to be released, school youcher program, Lait Specific details of the ap- Last year, the government Education Undersecretarv for mile schools and the hrrman proved budget for the DepEd allotted P30.973 billion for the Finance Annall.n Sevilla'con- resource development for per- have vet to be released- BEF program and P32.121 bil- firmed that the'DepEd, includ- sonnel in schools and learning Baied on the proposed 2020 lion for govemment assistance ing its attached agenciet will centers. budget submitted to Con- and subsidies. have a total budgei of P521.351 Italso noted a decrease in gress, the govemrnent sought The education sector has billion this vear funding for the Basic Educa- over P36 billion for the BEF received the biggest chunk of This is iour percent hisher tion Facilities (BEF) program, program/ P31.18 billion for the P4.1-triliionbudget this year, than the P501.it6 budgei al- particularly for the construction government assistance and amounting to a total P692.6b1- located last vear for the DeoEd of new school buildings. subsidies and P1.5 million for lior; according to the DBM. and its attacired agencies. ' "(This) js a huge Challenge the last mile schools program, This hcludes the budget for In a statement, the DepEd to the department as ii witl which seeks to improve"those the DepEd, the Commission on lauded President Duterte ;d adversely affect the progran- that fail to meet the basic crite- Higher Education, the Technical members of the Senate and ming of a lower classroom-to ria set for learning insti tutions Education and Skills Develoo- House of Representatives for -students ratio for the coming in the Philippines. mentAuthoritv and the over 100 the approval of the 2020 cAA. school years," the DepEd said A summary of .the approved state universihes and colleges The agenry said it has re- of the decrease. budget released by the De- acoss the country.