₱1.35 Trillion for Education: Bigger Budget, Same Old Thieves’ Banquet

Main Course: Overpriced Classrooms and Confidential-Fund Gravy

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 1, 2026

MGA ka-kweba, Senator Bam Aquino calls the ₱1.35 trillion earmarked for education in the 2026 national budget a “historic victory.” The largest education fund in Philippine history, he says—more classrooms, free school meals, bigger support for the Free College Law he authored. He thanks those who watched over the budget process and calls for “vigilance” so the money doesn’t end up in the pockets of the corrupt.

It sounds inspiring, doesn’t it? Like a New Year’s promise of hope for the youth.

But wait—why does this gift feel like it’s wrapped in the same old newspaper? The one filled with headlines about DepEd and DPWH scandals. Pouring ₱1.35 trillion into a system that has been rotten for decades isn’t a victory. It’s a bigger war chest for the same old game of corruption.

***“Vote 2028: pick your crocodile—right jaw, left jaw, or the one promising blockchain dentures.”***

1. The Numbers vs. History: Why Call It a Victory When the Machine Is Broken?

Yes, ₱1.35 trillion is a record—the highest ever. Here are the highlights:

₱68 billion for classroom construction (up from ₱18 billion)
₱25.6 billion for the school-based feeding program (up from ₱11.7 billion)
₱67 billion for the Free College Law (RA 10931)

Concrete support for students, they say.

Now let’s confront it with reality:

Classroom backlog: still around 165,000 as of 2025. In one recent year, the target was 1,700—only 22 were completed.
From 2022 to mid-2025, thousands of classrooms were reported “finished,” yet the backlog barely moved. Projections even suggest it could hit 200,000 by 2028 at this pace.

Why? Because of:

DepEd’s chronically low absorptive capacity
Procurement bottlenecks
And notorious scandals:
- → The ₱2.4-billion overpriced laptop fiasco during the pandemic (nearly ₱1 billion in undue losses; graft charges still pending against former officials like ex-Sec. Leonor Briones)
- → Confidential funds misuse in the past—cash-stuffed envelopes, ghost recipients
- → COA disallowances exceeding ₱12 billion still unsettled

Now, that ₱68 billion for classrooms? It usually goes through the DPWH—infamous for ghost projects, overpricing, and endless delays. The feeding program? Billions in irregularities flagged before.

A bigger budget for a broken system isn’t a solution—it’s a bigger opportunity for graft.

2. The Two Faces of Bam Aquino: Genuine Advocate or 2028 Strategist?

Bam Aquino has real legacy achievements:

Author of the Free College Law
Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education
Proponent of the CADENA Act (blockchain-based budget transparency—tamper-proof and publicly trackable)
Livestreamed hearings and calls for public monitoring

His warning that funds must not go to “corruption” sounds like a genuine reformist position.

But let’s dissect the political calculus:

He needs to rebrand from the “elite” image tied to his family name and the Liberal Party
Education is the perfect issue for the 27 million students and youth voters
With the 2028 elections approaching, this is a masterstroke to position himself as the “third option”—a reformer against the major dynasties

Those anti-corruption warnings? They may be sincere, but they also serve as a pre-emptive shield. If scandals erupt during implementation (and history suggests they will), he can blame the administration while still claiming credit for securing the allocation.

Dual motives: policy-driven for legacy, strategically timed for national ambition.

3. The Cycle of Budget, Graft, and Disappointment: Same Old Drama on Repeat

This is the recurring script of Philippine politics:

Grand allocation → celebratory headlines
Botched implementation → COA disallowances, ghost projects, overpricing
Public outrage
Next budget cycle—even larger, resetting the narrative

In DepEd and DPWH, it’s endless: ghost students in voucher programs, substandard construction, steady erosion of public trust.

The 2026 budget? Just a more expensive chapter in the same book. Until the chain is broken, it remains a cycle that enriches a few while betraying the next generation.

4. The Real Stakes: Opportunity or Tragedy?

The opportunity here is enormous: genuine transformation—more classrooms, better-nourished children, accessible college for the poor.

But the risk? Another generation betrayed by graft as backlogs grow and futures dim.

Rhetoric about “vigilance” and livestreamed hearings isn’t enough—those are mostly theater.

We must demand now:

Measurable, public benchmarks: A trackable dashboard showing number of projects, completions, actual costs, and delays
Institutionalized transparency: Pass and implement the CADENA Act—real blockchain tracking, not just performative gestures
True depoliticization: Management by independent technical committees shielded from partisan interference and election cycles

If we don’t, this ₱1.35 trillion will become just another faded headline in the newspaper of corruption.

Let our vigilance be real—not just for press releases.