The 2025 national budget ensures continued funding for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and the provision of learning resources for learners with disabilities, Senator Win Gatchalian said.
Under the recently signed General Appropriations Act, P634.083 million has been allocated under the budget for Flexible Learning Options to support the implementation of ALS programs. The allocation includes funding for ALS learning resources and the transportation and teaching allowances of ALS teachers and Department of Education (DepEd)-engaged Community ALS Implementers. Gatchalian initially proposed P632.5 million for ALS.
The ALS is a parallel learning system that provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction. Under the Alternative Learning System Act, which Gatchalian authored and sponsored, the ALS was institutionalized, strengthened, and expanded to provide increased opportunities for out-of-school children in special cases and adult learners, including indigenous peoples, to develop basic and functional literacy and life skills.
Meanwhile, the amount of P100 million under Textbooks and Other Instructional Materials is allotted for learners with disabilities enrolled in the formal school system and ALS. This allocation supports multiple platforms using electronic and online modes of delivery, as well as personal safety lessons for learners with disabilities.
Gatchalian emphasized that the provision of learning resources for learners with disabilities aligns with the implementation of Republic Act No. 11650 or ‘Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act,’ which he also co-authored and sponsored.
The law establishes a policy of inclusion in all public and private early and basic education schools. It mandates that schools ensure all learners with disabilities have equitable access to quality education, prohibiting the denial of admission based on disability.
“Tiniyak natin na sa ilalim ng 2025 national budget, hindi mapag-iiwanan ang ating mga mag-aaral at guro sa ALS, pati na rin ang mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan. Mahalaga ang mga programang nagtataguyod ng kanilang kapakanan at nagbibigay ng oportunidad para sa abot-kaya at dekalidad na edukasyon, kaya naman sinigurado natin na may sapat na pondong nakalaan para sa pagpapatupad ng mga programang ito,” said Gatchalian, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.
