Filipino Grade 5 students continue to lag behind their Southeast Asian peers in reading proficiency, according to a regional learning assessment.

The findings prompted Senator Sherwin Gatchalian to push for a larger education budget in 2026 to strengthen basic learning skills.

Gatchalian made the assurance following the release of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2024 results, which showed that 27 percent of Grade 5 Filipino learners have very low reading proficiency.

The study also found that only 13 percent of learners met the minimum proficiency level, while just 14 percent demonstrated high reading proficiency.

In response, Gatchalian said the proposed 2026 national budget includes measures aimed at improving reading outcomes and addressing long-standing gaps in learning resources.

Under the Bicameral Conference Committee-approved budget, funding for textbooks and other instructional materials was increased to P19.5 billion, up from P11.2 billion under the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Gatchalian said the increase is intended to ensure that all learners receive complete sets of textbooks.

The SEA-PLM study also underscored the link between textbook availability and learning outcomes. It found that 52 percent of Grade 5 learners have only one reading textbook, while 42 percent share a reading textbook with at least one other student.

To support learning recovery, Gatchalian also pushed for an additional P3.3 billion to fund 440,000 tutors under the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which is expected to benefit around 6.7 million learners nationwide.

Gatchalian said targeted investments in learning materials and tutoring are crucial to improving reading proficiency and ensuring Filipino students can keep pace with their regional peers.