DepEd to 'exhaust all means' to save programs funded by USAID

February 14, 2025 | 11:03am

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education will "maximize its existing budget" and look for other funding sources to save P4 billion ($94 million) worth of literacy and special education programs that have been suspended following the United States' broader freeze on all foreign aid.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement Thursday, February 13, that the department will "exhaust all means" to ensure educational programs are not disrupted even as funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) dries up. 

The suspension comes after US President Trump ordered a pause on all US foreign aid on his first day in office, leading USAID to halt nearly all its projects worldwide. 

In the Philippines, the 90-day freeze has stopped work on five major DepEd programs and left project staff, contractors, and suppliers in limbo. 

Overall, the foreign aid freeze threatens at least 39 ongoing programs funded by USAID and the State Department, including programs on environmental protection and health. 

DepEd said its affected programs include ABC+, which focuses on improving early-grade literacy and numeracy in the Bangsamoro region; ILO-Ph, focused on assessment frameworks and policies; and Gabay, which provides support for learners with special needs. 

Two other programs – a tracer study on Alternative Learning System graduates and a program on improving youth employability —  are set to wrap up by February 2025. 

Cushioning the impact.  To "mitigate the impact of the suspension," DepEd said it plans to explore alternative funding sources and "engage with existing and new partners."

The department did not specify the details of its plan, but Angara has previously asked the private sector to take a more active role in supporting schools.

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DepEd said it is also fast-tracking textbook procurement for Grades 2, 5 and 8 to ensure materials reach classrooms before school year 2025-2026 begins. 

The department also plans to strengthen its curriculum and teaching strand to absorb key components of the suspended projects into its existing systems. 

The education chief has also requested USAID "the proper turnover of project materials to efficiently use project resources."

Angara has also written a letter to the US' ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, to acknowledge USAID's long-standing support while noting the "serious implications" of the funding freeze.

DepEd said in its statement that it "remains hopeful that considerations will be made to mitigate the impact of the suspension of ongoing projects."

Part of the plan. DepEd noted that all the suspended programs play a "vital role" in its five-point reform agenda — essentially the education issues that the department wants to prioritize. This agenda was launched in November last year.

DepEd's five-point plan for solving the country's education crisis focuses on an enabling learning environment, the welfare of teachers, the well-being of learners, efficient learning delivery in all its forms, and a "future-ready" workforce.