4,125 DepEd personnel take oath

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the mass oath-taking ceremony of 4,125 newly promoted and newly hired Department of Education (DepEd) Region II employees in Santiago City, Isabela, on 2 October 2026.

The ceremony was held as part of the country’s celebration of National Teachers’ Month.

Marcos highlighted the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System, which provides teachers with opportunities for professional development and career advancement. About 82,000 teachers and school heads had been promoted under the system since its implementation through September 2026.

The government is also working to reduce teachers’ administrative workload and improve their benefits, Marcos said.

He cited the results of these reforms, along with teachers’ efforts, including the country’s improved performance in reading, science and mathematics in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment compared with 2022.

Marcos underscored the role of teachers not only in teaching academic subjects but also in guiding and shaping the future of Filipino youth.

During National Teachers’ Month, the President recognized teachers’ contributions and reaffirmed the government’s support for their profession and rights.

DepEd employs about 858,000 public school teachers nationwide. The department, however, continues to face a shortage of teaching personnel and thousands of unfilled plantilla positions.

The government is working to fill about 20,000 to 30,000 vacant teaching positions, while education groups, including the Second Congressional Commission on Education, have cited broader estimates of the country’s teacher shortage.

DepEd also launched a hiring drive for more than 32,900 Teacher I positions in 2026 as part of efforts to address staffing gaps.