Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the historic P19.5-billion 2026 national budget will allow the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide free textbooks for all public school students, achieving a one-student-one-book ratio.
For decades, students had to share textbooks due to limited supplies, but the new funding supports the full rollout of the Matatag Curriculum to improve learning outcomes.
DepEd has already procured P7 billion worth of textbooks for Grades 6, 9, and 10, with the remaining P12 billion allocated to regional offices for nationwide distribution.
Officials emphasized that ensuring complete textbook access is critical to improving classroom instruction and addressing long-standing shortages of instructional materials.
The initiative is expected to benefit millions of K-12 learners, reflecting the government’s continued prioritization of education in the national budget.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 9, 2026
2026 BUDGET TO HELP DEPED ACHIEVE ONE TEXTBOOK PER STUDENT
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