Romualdez: House commits to fund thousands of new teaching posts

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will continue to sustain the funding for 20,000 new teaching positions in public schools in the 2026 national budget and the coming years, according to Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Romualdez emphasized the program’s urgency amid a surge in student population and a shortage of classroom teachers in remote barangays.

“All 20,000 new teaching items are about changing lives, not just addressing the shortage of teachers in our classrooms. Each position filled means a teacher in front of students who need guidance, and a Filipino family with a new source of income, dignity, and hope,” the House leader said in a statement on Wednesday.

READ: DBM okays last batch of 20,000 new teaching posts

“This is the kind of intervention that solves multiple problems at once. We improve teacher-to-student ratios, relieve overburdened schools and, at the same time, generate thousands of new jobs for qualified Filipinos,” he added.

Aside from assuring the public, Romualdez also said that the lower chamber will closely monitor the hiring process of teachers to ensure “speed, transparency, and merit-based deployment, especially in high-need and disadvantaged areas.”

“Our goal is not just to fill slots. We want to deploy mentors who are committed, competent, and ready to serve. We are planting the seeds of real, lasting change, classroom by classroom, community by community,” he explained.

Earlier, the Department of Budget and Management confirmed the funding for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) built-in appropriations under the “New School Personnel Positions” program for fiscal year 2025.

Romualdez said Congress approved the DepEd and Executive proposal during the 2025 budget deliberations, citing the measure’s educational and economic value. /jpv

(2025/06/25-11:47)