Advocacy group Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) called on lawmakers to prioritize investment in education 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 healthcare — that they rightfully deserve,” PBEd executive director Bal Camua said in a 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 UNESCO standard of at least four to six percent.

The Second Congressional Commission on Education’s Year Two report states that over the past decade, education spending has averaged only 3.2 percent of GDP. Despite the Constitution’s mandate to give education the “highest priority,” the Philippines continues to fall short of global standards, with chronic underinvestment remaining a persistent challenge.

“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.