The Department of Education, together with the Departments of Budget and Management, Interior and Local Government, and Finance, has signed new guidelines pushing local governments to use idle Special Education Funds (SEFs) to improve student literacy and numeracy.
From 2018 to 2022, at least P15 billion in SEFs went unspent, with cities showing the highest underutilization at 57%.
The updated Joint Circular allows municipalities, cities, and provinces to use these funds for early childhood education, nutrition programs, the Alternative Learning System, and DepEd’s ARAL program.
Local governments must now link their SEF budgets to student performance on literacy and numeracy assessments, ensuring the funds directly support learning outcomes.
Officials emphasized that the reforms aim to make SEF spending more equitable and targeted, helping every Filipino learner achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Source: PhilNews24 | December 5, 2025
