00:00Lawmakers are backing a proposal to redirect government funds from flood control projects to education and other priority areas.
00:07Despite a notable increase in the education budget, many challenges still remain unaddressed.
00:13Harley Valbuena tells us more.
00:17Several senators expressed support to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s push to realign to the education and other sectors.
00:26The P270B allocation for flood control projects next year.
00:33This is because the DepEd's proposed 2026 budget, despite being 18.7% higher than their budget for the current year, is still not enough to fund the 165,000 classroom backlog nationwide.
00:48This also cannot sustain the needed P132B for around 203,000 classrooms needing major repair.
00:58The shortage of teachers, guidance counselors, and other non-teaching personnel is also a concern.
01:04We have made a menu for our legislators to follow.
01:11And they basically cover education, agriculture, health, housing, infra, ICT, labor, social, energy.
01:20Pero ibang nature nito.
01:22According to lawmakers, the public is sure to benefit if the billions worth of funds will be earmarked for education instead of flood control projects.
01:34I think we're all in agreement that this flood control should be put into more productive use.
01:41Dapat talaga, yung mga kalukuhan ng flood control, ilipat na lang natin sa classroom building program and all the other programs for teacher development and teacher excellence and training.
01:51Kapag ma-realign ho yung budget from flood control to school infrastructure, pagkabit ng kuryente, pagkabit ng internet, talagang nakita namin matratransform talaga yung buhay ng mga estudyante.
02:07Hindi lang po yung estudyante, pati yung komunidad dahil damay po sila eh.
02:10Meanwhile, DET-ED also supports the bill that will authorize local government units and non-governmental organizations to build classrooms.
02:20Currently, the Department of Public Works and Highways is the sole agency authorized to construct classrooms.
02:28But Senator Loren Legarda warns that DEP-ED and not the lawmakers should choose who will construct classrooms to prevent any anomaly.
02:38It would be to the better judgment, I just put this on record, if DEP-ED is the one that decides so that there would be less interference on the part of the lawmaker, congressman or senator.
02:53So also there would not be any accusation that we had favored a CSO or an LGU or wanted it in the Public Works Department.
03:05Harley Valbena from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
