PBEd appeals to solons: Invest in people, not just infrastructure

Ahead of the budget deliberations on education agencies, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) called on legislators to put Filipinos first as they tackle the 2026 budget–demanding full transparency and greater investments in education and human capital.

“We must allocate our resources where it matters most, because every peso wasted denies our people access to vital programs—such as education, nutrition and health care—that they rightfully deserve,” PBEd executive director Bal Camua said in a press statement.

PBEd raised concerns that education remains underfunded. The 2026 National Expenditure Program allocates around P1.178 trillion for education—only around 3.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), short of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization standard of at least 4 percent to 6 percent.

Over the past decade, education spending has averaged only 3.2 percent of GDP.

“We cannot afford to let insertions and inefficiencies eat into the education budget. Every year we delay meeting the standard, we risk losing a generation. Opening the budget deliberations from start until its passage will help strengthen accountability and ensure that public funds truly serve the people,” he added.

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PBEd also supports the creation of the high-level inter-agency Education and Workforce Development Group (EWDG) in response to the call for greater coordination among education agencies.

“The creation of the EWDG is a crucial step toward bridging the gap between what our schools teach and what our industries need. For it to truly succeed, it must be grounded in transparent budgeting, strong accountability and active engagement with stakeholders—so that every reform truly delivers better education and brighter opportunities for all Filipinos,” Camua said.