France Castro to push for 6% allocation of GDP to education sector if elected as senator

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro will push for the allocation of 6% of the country’s gross domestic product to the education sector if she's elected as senator in Eleksyon 2025.

This, as the senatorial aspirant cited the “perennial” problems in the education sector which she said are currently being addressed by the teachers on their own.

“Ang panukalang batas natin ‘yung gawin sanang budget ng education ay 6% ng gross domestic product, essentially doble ng budget natin sa edukasyon ngayon para mapunan lahat ng pangangailangan,” Castro said over dzBB’s “Ikaw Na Ba? The Senatorial Interviews.”

(My proposal is to make the budget for education equal to six percent of the GDP, essentially double of what we allocate for the sector today.)

For Castro, prioritizing funds for education would address the shortage in classrooms, teachers, and other materials necessary in schools, particularly laptops for both the instructors and the students.

“Mahalaga ang serbisyong pangedukasyon sa ating mamamayan kung gusto natin mabago ang ating kalagayan… Perennial na talaga ‘yung mga pagkukulang at tinitiis ‘yun,” she said.

(It is important to prioritize services for the education sector if we want to change the current situation. The problem in the sector is perennial and our teachers bear the burden.)

“Ang mga teachers nga sila yung nagpupuno doon sa pagkukulang ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng libreng overtime…sila pa yung gumagastos sa kanilang classroom materials pati nga ‘yung laptop pinangungutang pa nila yan,” she added.

Apart from the education sector, Castro proposed the 5% allocation of GDP to the health sector.

Intelligence fund

Consistent with her call to abolish the confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) allocation, Castro also said that the secret funds of the Office of the President should be scrutinized too.

“Kalahati ng confidential and intelligence funds ay nasa Office of the President. Sa P10 billion na ‘yan may P4.20 (billion) something doon. Yan din dapat talagang matingnan kung pano ginagamit ng Office of the President,” she said.

(Half of the confidential and intelligence funds are with the Office of the President. Of the P10 billion budget of the OP, around P4 billion was allocated for CIF. Its use should also be scrutinized too.)

To recall, Castro along with other members of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives have actively participated in the investigation into Vice President Sara Duterte’s use of confidential funds in her office and in the Department of Education, which the latter previously led.

“Malaki-laki rin yung effort na ginawa natin para ma-expose, maimbestigahan itong confidential funds. Kaya sana magkaroon ng bunga ‘yung aming pinaghihirapan maya kailangan talaga [may] managot dito sa ginawang misuse nitong confidential funds… mayroong ma-impeach,” she said.

During the Fast Talk segment of the dzBB Eleksyon 2025 Special, Castro shared her stance on various issues:

• Penalties for political turncoats: It depends
• Publicizing SALNs: In favor
• Divorce: ln favor
• Legalization of jueteng: Against
• Legalization of medical marijuana: In favor
• Death penalty: Against
• Amending the Constitution: It depends, but against on the amendments currently pushed 

--VAL, GMA Imtegrated News

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