Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday called for stronger and more drastic efforts to address the declining school enrollment in the Philippines and its link to child stunting, highlighting the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) where high dropout and child stunting rates pose challenges to children’s education, health, and development.
“Sa BARMM, 8% ang dropouts. If you look at the stunting rate, lumalagpas ng 30% at halos umaabot ng 40% sa BARMM. Tapos you look at the dropout rate, it’s a recipe of disaster in the next 5 to 10 years in BARMM,” Cayetano said during the October 16 hearing on the Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposed 2027 budget.
Cayetano, who has long advocated for education reform and efforts to address child stunting, said the condition – impaired growth caused by chronic undernutrition during early childhood – can have lifelong effects on a child’s physical growth, cognitive development, and future productivity. Barriers to education can further limit children’s opportunities for development.
While acknowledging the limitations of national government intervention given BARMM’s autonomous status, Cayetano emphasized the importance of working with regional authorities and other partners to address the challenges facing children in the region.
“I do know that there is a limitation on what we can do given the autonomy (of BARMM), but I do know that they are always looking for partners… Highest din kasi sila (BARMM) sa stunting and illiteracy. Not only is this a recipe for poverty and future problems, but also for extremism especially with their trauma pa from the Marawi siege. There are certain things, like work, (that) you can skip. But this (dropping out) is different,” he said.
He recalled a past government program in which school dropout rates became lower when free uniforms and notebooks were distributed to students and urged for DepEd to do a similar special project for BARMM.
Radical change needed
Cayetano also raised concerns over the reduction in funding for the school-based feeding program, from P25 billion to P11.43 billion in the 2026 General Appropriations Bill. He asked Education Secretary Sonny Angara how efforts to address child stunting could be sustained amid the proposed funding cut, particularly among children who need nutritional support.
“I believe your father (the late Senator Edgardo Angara) was one of those who, like my father (the late Senator Rene Cayetano), pounded it into our heads that if we keep doing the same thing and expecting different results, it won’t happen. But what our parents pounded into us is that sometimes you have to have a radical change,” he said.
Cayetano also cited declining national school enrollment as further context for the challenges facing education.
“Nabahala lang ako kasi if you look at the graph on the enrollment, we went from 22.6 million (enrollees) n’ung 2019 to 22.7 million (enrollees) in 2020. Just as the pandemic was easing in 2021 to 2022, 24 million students (enrolled). But in 2023 it started going down drastically, 23.2 million na lang ang nag-enroll,” Cayetano said, citing national figures from DepEd’s Education Management Information System Division (EMISD).
He noted that nationwide enrollment continued to decline in the succeeding years post-pandemic. “In 2024 to 2025, 22.5 million na lang ang nag-enroll. Then in 2025-2026, 22.1 million. Parang pababa ng pababa y’ung enrollment,” he said.
Cayetano urged DepEd to identify priority areas for funding and pursue practical, targeted interventions that could improve education outcomes despite budget constraints.
“Secretary Sonny, what we can do to help is to look for the P51 billion (additional budget for the agency). But you have to help us, where is it most needed?” he told the Education Secretary.
“Let me leave this challenge to all of us… How do we drastically improve our education system given the limited funds? What are those best ideas? I hope it will come out here in the Senate,” he said.
Hinimok ni Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Biyernes ang Department of Education (DepEd) na gumawa ng mas matibay at mas malawak na mga hakbang upang matugunan ang patuloy na pagbaba ng bilang ng mga nag-eenroll sa mga paaralan sa Pilipinas at ang kaugnayan nito sa pagkabansot ng mga bata dahil sa malnutrisyon.
Binigyang diin niya ang kalagayan sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), kung saan malaking hamon ang mataas na bilang ng mga batang humihinto sa pag-aaral at mga batang nakakaranas ng pagkabansot. Nakakaapekto ang mga problemang ito sa edukasyon, kalusugan, at paglaki ng mga bata.
“Sa BARMM, 8% ang dropouts. If you look at the stunting rate, lumalagpas ng 30% at halos umaabot ng 40% sa BARMM. Tapos you look at the dropout rate, it’s a recipe of disaster in the next 5 to 10 years in BARMM,” sabi ni Cayetano sa pagdinig nitong October 16 sa panukalang 2027 budget ng Department of Education (DepEd).
Matagal nang isinusulong ni Cayetano ang reporma sa edukasyon at mga hakbang upang matugunan ang pagkabansot ng mga bata dahil sa malnutrisyon.
Ipinaliwanag niya na ang kondisyong ito — na dulot ng matagal na kakulangan sa nutrisyon sa mga unang taon ng buhay — ay maaaring magkaroon ng pangmatagalang epekto sa pisikal na paglaki, kakayahang mag-isip at matuto, at kakayahang magtrabaho at maging produktibo sa hinaharap.
Dagdag pa rito, ang mga hadlang sa pag-aaral ay maaaring maglimita sa mga oportunidad ng mga bata na umunlad at magkaroon ng mas magandang kinabukasan.
Kinikilala ni Cayetano na may mga limitasyon ang pambansang pamahalaan sa pakikialam sa mga usapin sa BARMM dahil sa awtonomiya o kapangyarihan ng rehiyon na pamahalaan ang sarili nitong mga gawain.
Gayunman, binigyang diin niya ang kahalagahan ng pakikipagtulungan sa mga awtoridad sa rehiyon at iba pang mga katuwang upang matugunan ang mga problemang kinakaharap ng mga bata roon.
“I do know that there is a limitation on what we can do given the autonomy (of BARMM), but I do know that they are always looking for partners… Highest din kasi sila (BARMM) sa stunting and illiteracy. Not only is this a recipe for poverty and future problems, but also for extremism especially with their trauma pa from the Marawi siege. There are certain things, like work, (that) you can skip. But this (dropping out) is different,” sabi niya.
Ikinuwento rin ni Cayetano ang isang programa ng pamahalaan noon kung saan bumaba ang bilang ng mga batang humihinto sa pag-aaral matapos silang mabigyan ng libreng uniporme at notebook.
Dahil dito, hinimok niya ang DepEd na magpatupad ng katulad na special project para sa BARMM.
Kailangan ng malaking pagbabago
Ipinahayag din ni Cayetano ang kanyang pag-aalala sa pagbawas ng pondo para sa school-based feeding program o programang nagbibigay ng pagkain sa mga mag-aaral sa paaralan. Mula P25 bilyon, ibinaba ang pondo nito sa P11.43 bilyon sa General Appropriations Bill nitong 2026.
Tinanong niya si Education Secretary Sonny Angara kung paano maipagpapatuloy ang mga hakbang laban sa pagkabansot ng mga bata dahil sa malnutrisyon sa kabila ng panukalang pagbawas sa pondo, lalo na para sa mga batang nangangailangan ng sapat na nutrisyon.
“I believe your father (the late Senator Edgardo Angara) was one of those who, like my father (the late Senator Rene Cayetano), pounded it into our heads that if we keep doing the same thing and expecting different results, it won’t happen. But what our parents pounded into us is that sometimes you have to have a radical change,” sabi niya.
Binanggit din ni Cayetano ang patuloy na pagbaba ng bilang ng mga nag-eenroll sa mga paaralan sa buong bansa bilang dagdag na patunay ng mga hamong kinakaharap ng sektor ng edukasyon.
“Nabahala lang ako kasi if you look at the graph on the enrollment, we went from 22.6 million (enrollees) n’ung 2019 to 22.7 million (enrollees) in 2020. Just as the pandemic was easing in 2021 to 2022, 24 million students (enrolled). But in2023 it started going down drastically, 23.2 million na lang ang nag-enroll,” sabi ni Cayetano, batay sa pambansang datos ng Education Management Information System Division (EMISD) ng DepEd.
Ayon sa senador, nagpatuloy ang pagbaba ng bilang ng mga nag-eenroll sa mga sumunod na taon matapos ang pandemya.
“In 2024 to 2025, 22.5 million na lang ang nag-enroll. Then in 2025-2026, 22.1 million. Parang pababa ng pababa y’ung enrollment,” sabi niya.
Hinimok ni Cayetano ang DepEd na tukuyin kung aling mga lugar at programa ang higit na nangangailangan ng pondo. Hiniling din niya sa kagawaran na magpatupad ng mga praktikal at targeted na hakbang na makakatulong upang mapabut iang kalidad ng edukasyon sa kabila ng limitadong pondo.
“Secretary Sonny, what we can do to help is to look for the P51 billion (additional budget for the agency). But you have to help us, where is it most needed?” tanong niya sa kalihim ng edukasyon.
“Let me leave this challenge to all of us… How do we drastically improve our education system given the limited funds? What are those best ideas? I hope it will come out here in the Senate,” sabi niya.
