Senator Erwin Tulfo questioned the zero allocation for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program under the proposed 2027 national budget, urging the government to provide dedicated funding.
DepEd had requested ₱15.32 billion for the initiative, but the House version of the budget allocated only ₱350 million.
DepEd Undersecretary Carmela Oracion said the program addresses students’ learning gaps in reading, mathematics, and science, with struggling readers declining from 6.7 million to 2.2 million during its first year.
The Department of Budget and Management explained that the program’s funding was included under textbooks and other learning materials, while participating teachers could receive overtime pay for tutoring.
Tulfo urged the DBM to consider a separate budget allocation for the program in 2027, a recommendation the agency agreed to consider.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 17, 2026
