Gatchalian: P500 million added to school electrification program
November 13, 2024
Gatchalian: P500 million added to school electrification program
The Senate Committee on Finance has accepted Senator Win Gatchalian's proposal to add funding for the Department of Education's (DepEd) School Electrification Program.
The Senate's Committee Report on the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for Fiscal Year 2025 (House Bill No. 10800) added P500 million to the P1.295 billion allotted to the School Electrification Program. The program seeks the provision of electricity to unenergized or off-grid schools and modernize the electrical systems of on-grid schools.
"As we all know, some of our schools are still left in the dark and I would like to thank the Senate Committee on Finance for adding P500 million to the School Electrification Program," Gatchalian said during his interpellation of the DepEd's proposed budget for 2025.
While other countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia already achieved universal access, the Philippines still faces challenges when it comes to the complete electrification of schools. Citing DepEd data, a 2024 research paper by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies found that 1,562 schools still had no electricity connection as of 2020. The study also found that as of 2020, 39,335 schools need upgrading of their electrical connections.
A study published by the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies also found that on average, energized elementary schools performed 12% better on the National Achievement Test (NAT) than schools that do not have electricity. Secondary schools with electricity also performed 10% better than unenergized ones.
"Bago natin tuluyang maisulong ang mas malawakang pag-gamit ng teknolohiya sa ating mga paaralan, mahalagang tiyakin natin na may kuryente ang lahat ng ating mga paaralan. Kasabay ito ng ating pagsisikap na mabigyan ang ating mga paaralan ng dekalidad na pasilidad para sa kanilang pag-aaral," the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education added.
Gatchalian: P500 milyon dinagdag sa school electrification program
Tinanggap ng Senate Committee on Finance ang panukala ni Senador Win Gatchalian na dagdagan ng pondo ang School Electrification Program ng Department of Education (DepEd).
Sa ilalim ng Senate Committee Report sa General Appropriations Bill (GAB) para sa Fiscal Year 2025 (House Bill No. 10800), P500 milyon ang dinagdag sa P1.295 bilyong nakalaan para sa School Electrification Program. Layunin ng naturang programa na lagyan ng kuryente ang mga paaralang wala pang kuryente, pati na rin ang modernisasyon sa electrical system ng mga paaralang may kuryente na.
"Alam naman natin na may mga paaralang wala pa ring kuryente. Bago natin tuluyang maisulong ang mas malawakang paggamit ng teknolohiya sa ating mga paaralan, dapat tiyakin muna natin na lahat may kuryente. Kasabay ito ng ating pagsisikap na mabigyan ang ating mga paaralan ng dekalidad na pasilidad para sa pag-aaral," ani Gatchalian, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.
Habang may universal access na sa ibang mga sa bansa sa Silangan at Timog-Silangang Asya, problemado pa rin ang Pilipinas pagdating sa pagkonekta ng lahat ng mga paaralan sa kuryente. Gamit ang datos mula sa DepEd, iniulat ng isang research paper mula sa Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) ngayong taon na 1,562 na mga paaralan ang wala pa ring kuryente noong 2020. Lumabas din sa naturang pag-aaral na noong 2020, 39,335 na mga paaralan ang nangailangan ng upgrading sa kanilang koneksyon sa kuryente.
Lumabas naman sa isang pag-aaral na nilimbag ng University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies na kung ihahambing sa mga elementary schools na walang kuryente, mas mataas ng 12% average sa National Achievement Test ang mga paaralang may kuryente. Mas mataas naman ng 10% average ang performance ng mga high school may kuryente kung ihahambing sa mga walang kuryente.
"Nais kong pasalamatan ang Senate Committee on Finance para sa pagdagdag ng P500 million sa School Electrification Program," ani Gatchalian sa kanyang interpellation sa panukalang budget ng DepEd sa 2025.
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