PEAC pushes urgent passage of expanded basic education voucher act

The Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) on Wednesday called for the urgent approval of the Basic Education Voucher Program Act, saying the measure would help ease financial pressures on educational institutions.

“At stake is nothing less than the future of millions of Filipino learners and the integrity of our country’s basic education system,” PEAC said on Wednesday in a statement.

“This legislation is equally indispensable for private schools and teachers across the country, many of whom are facing serious operational and financial challenges,” it added.

Under the proposed Basic Education Voucher Program Act, the voucher system will be expanded to eligible students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, redirecting students to private schools and decongesting overcrowded public schools.

According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), classroom congestion is more prevalent at the high school level than at the elementary level, with over 60 students per classroom.

Sulu has the highest congestion outside Metro Manila at 95.7%, followed by Maguindanao del Sur at 76.8%, Maguindanao del Norte at 74.8%, and Basilan at 74.5%.

The proposed expansion prioritizes students from congested public schools, low-income households, and disadvantaged sectors, including learners in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), Indigenous Peoples, and 4Ps beneficiaries.

Students from low-income households or those classified as disadvantaged may receive higher voucher amounts. Meanwhile, Alternative Learning System (ALS) completers and disadvantaged learners in GIDAs without access to public schools are considered automatic voucher recipients.

“For countless of families who continue to struggle with poverty, the Basic Education Voucher Program is not a merely policy option: it is a lifeline,” PEAC said.

“The Basic Education Voucher Program is a concrete expression of the government’s commitment to a diverse, robust, resilient education system that serves all learners,” it added.

Last month, Senate Bill No. 1981, or the proposed Basic Education Voucher Program Act, was approved on third reading.

The group called on both Houses of Congress to “set aside” political differences and “act with a shared sense of duty” to streamline the legislative process for the proposed act.

“Convene the Bicameral Conference Committee without delay and approve this vital piece of legislation,” it said. “History will remember whether, at this critical moment, our leaders chose courage over convenience and country over politics.” — Almira Louise S. Martinez