Statement of Sen. Risa Hontiveros on the Senate's approval to realign majority of DepEd's confidential funds

I thank the Finance Chair Sonny Angara, my Minority Leader, Sen. Koko Pimentel, and the rest of my colleagues for accepting our proposed realignment of the Department of Education's (DepEd) confidential funds to support the promotion of their Healthy Learning Institutions initiative.

Bagaman hindi buong nailagak ang confidential funds sa mga mahahalagang programa para sa basic education, malaking tulong ito upang madagdagan ng pondo ang ating mga school health programs in line with the mandate of the Universal Health Care Act.

With the PHP 120M realigned to the Healthy Learning Institutions program, it would enable DepEd, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), to integrate holistic measures to promote healthy behaviors and environments for immunization, mental health, and age- and development-appropriate reproductive health education, especially in last mile schools.

Nagpapasalamat tayo sa mga kasamahan natin sa Senado na kaisa natin sa pagnanais na tiyakin sa publiko na tayo'y nakikinig sa mga alalahanin ninyo, at naniniwala talaga kami na hindi dapat masayang ni isang sentimo ng ating national budget.