Loren Legarda
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senator Loren Legarda expressed serious concern over the 鈧�12-billion reduction in the Department of Education鈥檚 (DepEd) budget for FY 2025, describing it as a 鈥渟ignificant misstep鈥� with far-reaching consequences for learners, teachers, and the nation鈥檚 future.
She cautioned that this decision not only jeopardizes the foundation of progress but also reflects a troubling shift in national priorities.
鈥淗ow can we rationalize slashing 鈧�12 billion from DepEd?鈥� Legarda asked. 鈥淗ow can we claim to value the future of our nation when we undermine the very foundation of that future? How do we explain that act of not allocating sufficient resources into what we have always called our most powerful investment?鈥�
The largest cut in the department鈥檚 proposed FY 2025 budget is the 鈧�10 billion reduction from the DepEd Computerization Program, a vital initiative aimed at providing public schools with educational technology packages, including IT infrastructure, networking facilities, and information systems.
The program, aligned with the K-12 curriculum, enhances the teaching and learning process, equipping students with essential skills for future employment and global citizenship.
Senator Legarda, who serves as a Commissioner of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, stressed that such a reduction risks widening the digital divide, especially in underserved communities.
鈥淚n today鈥檚 world, digital access is no longer a luxury but a lifeline,鈥� Legarda said. 鈥淪caling back on programs that provide technological tools for learning denies millions of Filipino children the opportunity to compete in a rapidly evolving, technology-driven world.鈥�
Legarda underscored the need to uphold the nation鈥檚 commitment to education by ensuring sustained funding for regular programs that directly benefit learners and teachers. 鈥淥ur duty to our children鈥檚 future goes beyond words; it requires action.
This means strengthening the regular programs that benefit our learners and teachers. Respect for the mandates of governance requires mutual accountability. If we expect DepEd to succeed in implementing their programs, it starts by providing them with the necessary resources to deliver,鈥� she emphasized.
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As a four-term senator and former Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Legarda also called for greater transparency in the budget process, particularly during the bicameral conference committee deliberations.
鈥淭he General Appropriations Act (GAA) is the single most important legislation we pass each year,鈥� Legarda asserted. 鈥淢onths of committee hearings and plenary debates are rendered meaningless if the final budget decisions lack genuine transparency. The Filipino people deserve a clear explanation for every peso allocated鈥攐r removed鈥攅specially in vital sectors like education.鈥�
She emphasized that the GAA reflects the nation鈥檚 priorities and should inspire public trust, not skepticism. 鈥淚 have sought to reconcile some of the changes made during the bicameral conference with the principles we, as legislators, are sworn to uphold. Yet, I fear that some of these adjustments may be difficult to explain in a way that earns the trust of the Filipino people,鈥� Legarda concluded.