Philippines DBM releases PHP 8.68 billion for teacher salary upgrades

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the release of PHP 8.68 billion to the Department of Education (DepEd) to fund salary upgrades for more than 93,000 public school personnel. This funding is designated for salary differentials for 93,344 positions reclassified under the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System.

The ECP System is designed to allow public school teachers to achieve professional advancement and higher compensation while remaining on the teaching track. The current funding covers implementation requirements for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 for personnel with issued appointments and Notices of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Action (NOSCA).

Acting Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon stated that the investment aims to provide a rewarding career path for educators without requiring them to leave the classroom to advance. For the 2027 national budget, the government has proposed increasing the ECP System allocation to PHP 12.09 billion, representing a 96.6 percent increase over the 2026 funding.