President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday led the rollout of major education initiatives under the “Programa para sa Buti ng Bayan at Mamamayan: Galing, Akses, Batid at Angat Tungo sa Yaman ng Bayan” or the PBBMGABAY ng Bayan Programs at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City.
The launch formed part of the 2nd Joint Education Trifocal Management Committee Meeting of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), with the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). The event highlighted the national government’s unified approach to strengthening access, equity, and relevance across the Philippine education system under the Bagong Pilipinas agenda.
Officials from the education agencies, partner national government offices, local government units, higher education institutions, and other education stakeholders attended the program. Around 5,000 participants, including high school students and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, witnessed the rollout of the initiatives.
A central highlight of the program was the ceremonial signing of the joint memorandum circular on the Policies and Guidelines for the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program (BPMSP) by CHED, DepEd, and TESDA. The guidelines establish a unified framework for the transparent and coordinated implementation of the program across the education sector.
The BPMSP, representing Galing in GABAY, is a competitive, merit-based scholarship program open to top-performing senior high school graduates nationwide from both public and private schools, including the Philippine Science High School System, as well as qualified holders of TESDA National Certificates. Scholars may pursue degree programs aligned with priority sectors such as healthcare, engineering and digital technology, agriculture and fisheries, education, and financial services in public or private higher education institutions that meet quality standards. Likewise, scholars may also choose to study TESDA-identified priority diploma programs offered by registered Technical Vocational Institutions. These include courses in industry sectors such as agriculture, ICT, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing and semiconductor. Applicants to this program must have attained a minimum General Weighted Average of 90% or its equivalent.
For Academic Year 2026–2027, the program targets 20,000 scholars nationwide.
TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez said the BPMSP supports TESDA students in combining technical skills with further education. “Certificate holders can choose to continue their studies and complement the skills they’ve already earned, opening up new possibilities,” he added.
Representing Akses was the Project “Patuloy na Edukasyon, Patuloy na Pag-Ahon” (Project PEPA), a nationwide information caravan designed to improve access to accurate and timely information on government-funded education opportunities for 4Ps families. This aims to reach nearly 490,000 senior high school graduates from 4Ps households across all regions, who are eligible for the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) Program upon enrollment in public or CHED-recognized private higher education institutions.
For Batid, CHED launched TANAW, a national higher education data visualization platform that integrates institutional, enrollment, scholarship, and graduate outcomes data to support transparency, informed student choice, and evidence-based policy and planning.
CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis emphasized the importance of timely and accurate data in helping education stakeholders make better choices. “Sound decisions also require reliable information. CHED TANAW provides a national, data-driven platform that allows students and families to verify institutions, programs, and quality indicators using official data, reducing misinformation and uncertainty in education choices. Reaching those farthest from information is equally important,” she said.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the oath-taking of more than 700 newly promoted public school teachers under DepEd’s Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System. Angat, as embodied in GABAY, reflects the administration’s commitment to recognizing merit, uplifting educators, and strengthening the education workforce.
“For years, public school teachers dedicated themselves to their students while waiting for long-delayed promotions, with some only reaching senior ranks near retirement and away from the classroom they loved. The ECP addresses long-standing delays in teacher promotions by linking career advancement to merit and performance,” DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said.
CHED and the Pag-IBIG Fund likewise signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Project BALAY: Building Access to Learning for Students, a strategic partnership focused on developing affordable student housing, faculty and staff accommodation, and higher education infrastructure, particularly in state universities and colleges. CHED Chairperson Agrupis and Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene Acosta underscored the project’s role in improving learning outcomes and student completion in higher education institutions.
Taken together, these initiatives demonstrate a coordinated and integrated approach to education reform across all levels.
CHED, DepEd, and TESDA reaffirmed their to working hand in hand to implement the PBBMGABAY ng Bayan Program effectively. Yaman, the culmination of GABAY, represents mga mamamayang may kakayahan at oportunidad or Filipinos equipped with knowledge and skills to contribute productively to nation-building.
Under the Bagong Pilipinas agenda, the government continues to position education as a key driver of inclusive growth, workforce development, and long-term national competitiveness.
