The Philippine Business for Education (PBed), an advocacy group led by the country’s top business leaders, asked the government to establish robust monitoring and oversight mechanisms to ensure taxpayers’ money is used efficiently and effectively.
“While mending the budget is vital, it must be accompanied by clear, long-term strategies that prioritize the needs of our people and benefit the entire nation,” the group said in a statement Thursday.
It said the allocation of the most significant portion of the 2025 national budget to the education sector is a critical step forward.
“We commend President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s decision to further scrutinize the bicameral-approved budget before its final passage, and accord protection to our learners who continue to grapple with the impact of the learning crisis,” it said.
“However, this commitment must focus clearly on the sector’s priorities and address inefficiencies that continue to plague our education and human capital development systems,” it said.
PBed expressed concern about the growing discretionary funds with its inherent nature—being less transparent, accountable and prone to inefficiencies, duplication and patronage—”diverting vital resources from priority sectors such as education and health, which are central to inclusive growth and long-term resilience.”
“Our people have always been our biggest asset; yet, we are still deep in the learning and nutrition crisis. Our education system continues to face backlogs in teacher recruitment, classroom construction, and provision of learning materials, while our basic health services have suffered significant budget cuts,” it said.
PBed said the education, health, nutrition and welfare of the Filipino people should be the top priority. “Realigning discretionary funds towards institutions that ensure people are educated, fed, and healthy not only immediately impact the poor, but also lay the groundwork for a strong economy,” it said.
PBEd said it is ready to collaborate with policymakers to ensure that education funding is transparent, well-managed and dedicated to building a prosperous future for every Filipino citizen.
