Dwayne Pelagio

The Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara bared that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has found a way to solve the agency’s P10 billion budget cut for its 2025 computerization budget.

Photo Courtesy of Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Angara stated in an interview on Jan. 25 that Marcos texted him at 3:00 a.m. because he felt “sleepless” when he heard the cut.

Angara didn’t specify the “solution” and stated that the computerization programs will continue despite the cut.

The education secretary also met with the economic team composing of Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go on how to restore the DepEd's computerization funds.

The meeting also tackled the budget of hiring of new teachers worth P1.billion and construction of classrooms worth P1.5 billion.

He cited that 800,000 gadgets would be procured this year after the economic managers restored the P10 billion funding for DepEd's digitization program.

Angara also noted in his statement that the program would also involve the department's tie-up with Khan Academy to aid students in their learning through the Khanmigo application.

"In this world, even if you are not a college graduate, if you are an expert in computers, there will be available jobs and with a few short courses or micro-credentials that our president is referring to, we can easily get a job, but you have to have a foundation of digital skills," the education chief said.

Angara also mentioned that DepEd is preparing for the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025, which involves evaluating the achievement tests of learners in public schools to determine if it is nearly equivalent to the competencies of the said test.

The DepEd secretary expressed his concern on Dec. 15, 2024 over the budget cut, stating that education is too important to not be a funding priority.