MANILA, Philippines — More than 93,000 public school personnel nationwide are set to receive salary upgrades after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of an additional ₱8.68 billion for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System.
The funding will cover salary differentials for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 for 93,344 qualified personnel whose positions have already been reclassified under the ECP program.
The announcement was made by DBM on September 3, 2026, with Acting Budget Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon saying teachers and other qualified school personnel who have advanced in their careers should receive the compensation corresponding to their upgraded positions.
What the ₱8.68-billion release means
The latest funding is not a blanket salary increase for every public school teacher.
Instead, it is intended to finance the salary differentials of personnel whose positions have been officially reclassified under the ECP System, including those with issued Notices of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Action (NOSCA) and appointments.
The DBM said the amount will be charged against DepEd’s FY 2026 built-in Personnel Services lump-sum appropriations, under the funding strategy approved for the program.
DBM regional offices will process the corresponding fund releases to DepEd regional offices so the money can reach the qualified personnel in their respective areas.
Why the Expanded Career Progression System matters
The ECP was designed to give public school teachers more opportunities to advance professionally and financially without having to leave classroom teaching simply to move up the career ladder.
Under DepEd’s guidelines, the system provides career pathways covering positions from Teacher I through Teacher VII, as well as Master Teacher and school principal positions, with advancement based on qualifications, competencies and applicable promotion or reclassification procedures.
The policy traces back to Executive Order No. 174, which established an expanded career progression system intended to provide public school teachers with additional career paths and corresponding recognition and compensation.
DepEd’s 2026 guidance also shows that reclassification remains an active process, with qualified teachers and school principals able to apply under the ECP framework subject to the applicable requirements and available positions.
Bigger funding is being proposed for 2027
The government is also signaling that the ECP program will receive substantially more funding next year.
Under the proposed FY 2027 National Budget, ₱12.09 billion has been earmarked for the Expanded Career Progression System — ₱5.94 billion, or 96.6 percent higher than the 2026 allocation, according to DBM.
That means the current ₱8.68-billion release is more than a one-time announcement: it forms part of a broader government effort to expand promotion and reclassification opportunities for public school educators.
What teachers should watch for
For teachers who have already undergone reclassification, the important issue now is when their respective salary differentials will be reflected and released.
The DBM said its regional offices will facilitate the transfer of the necessary funds to DepEd regional offices. Actual implementation will therefore depend on the processing of the corresponding personnel and compensation documents for qualified employees.
The development could provide significant relief for thousands of educators who have already earned career advancement but were still awaiting the corresponding financial adjustments.
For the Philippine education sector, however, the bigger test will be whether the expanded career system can consistently translate professional growth into timely promotions, higher compensation and stronger retention of experienced teachers.
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