THE PHILIPPINE STAR

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.

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