P1.3-B BUDGET FOR SCHOOL ELECTRICITY, SET; DEPED SOLAR POWER TARGET IN 2027

 

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, highlighted that there is a ₱1.295 billion allocation under the 2026 National Budget for the electrification program of public schools nationwide.

The said fund is part of the broader National Rural Electrification Program of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) with a total budget of ₱9.1 billion. According to a special provision in the budget, the ₱1.295 billion shall be used exclusively for the following:

Electrification of unenergized or off-grid schools; Modernization and upgrading of electrical systems in on-grid schools; Purchase and installation of transformers and installation of solar power systems; and Preparing for the 2027 Solar Transition

The allocation of funds follows the announcement by Education Secretary Sonny Angara that the Department of Education (DepEd) plans to widely use solar power in public schools by 2027. This aims to reduce electricity bills and have a more sustainable source of energy, especially amid the challenges in the country's power supply.

Currently, the National Education Plan targets to connect 3,358 unenergized schools by 2028. Gatchalian also directed the NEA to prioritize renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy, in providing electricity to both off-grid and on-grid schools to ensure a "conducive learning environment" for students.

"We will ensure that we use effective technology until every school in the country has electricity," Gatchalian said.