Philippines to Hire Over 64,500 Teachers in 2027 Budget

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) have clarified reports that the proposed 2027 national budget provides “zero funding” for the hiring of public school teachers, stressing that P31.22 billion is provided for the filling of 64,530 authorized teaching positions. The two agencies clarified that while the national expenditure program (NEP) does not propose the creation of another batch of new Teacher I positions, this does not mean that DepEd cannot hire teachers in 2027. Of the 64,530 teaching positions funded for filling, 31,614 are existing vacant teaching positions recorded in the Government Manpower Information System as of April 24, 2026, while another 32,916 teaching positions were newly created and approved by DBM in May 2026. These authorized positions remain available for DepEd to fill as qualified applicants are hired. They do not expire simply because they are not immediately filled within the year they were created. DepEd and DBM noted that the 64,530 teaching positions reflected in the proposed 2027 budget are based on the official personnel data available to DBM during the budget preparation process and the applicable cut-off periods. These comprise 31,614 existing vacant teaching positions recorded in the GMIS as of April 24, 2026 and 32,916 newly created teaching positions subsequently approved by DBM in May 2026. This funding is part of the government's initiative to address teacher shortages and improve the quality of education within the Philippine education system. Teacher shortages, particularly in rural and densely populated areas, have been a long-standing issue. This allocation is expected to contribute to more equitable educational opportunities in these regions. The Philippines has also been grappling with the issue of outward migration of skilled workers, making domestic employment opportunities a critical policy concern. The hiring of teachers is seen as a way to provide stable career options for young Filipinos and to secure talent for the education sector. Source: Philstar Nation