Jasha Gamao

PASAY CITY—The Senate Committee on Basic Education launched its first public hearing of 2026 on Tuesday, January 21, 2026 wasting no time in targeting critical reforms for the country’s schools. 

Following a historic spike in the national education budget, Senate Committee on Basic Education Chairperson Senator Bam Aquino and other lawmakers met with top officials and stakeholders from the education sector to ensure every peso translates into better classroom results. 

The session signaled a shift toward aggressive oversight, with senators demanding clear timelines for improving student performance and modernizing aging infrastructure across the archipelago.

Legislators focused on three key pillars: fixing the Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program, sharpening the national curriculum, and securing permanent funding for "last-mile" schools in the most remote areas. 

By addressing implementation gaps that have previously stalled progress, the committee aims to bridge the divide between urban centers and rural classrooms.

This legislative push marks a high-stakes effort to modernize the Philippine education system and provide students with the competitive edge needed for the evolving global economy.

‍

MANILA—Public school educators in the Philippines can now look forward to a more rewarding and structured future as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12288 into law on September 12, 2025 known as the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act.

This landmark legislation institutionalizes a merit-based framework that eliminates the "promotion ceiling" for classroom teachers. Authored and championed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the law ensures that educators no longer have to leave the classroom for administrative roles just to receive a higher salary, effectively keeping the country’s best teaching talent where they are needed most.

The new law introduces a dual-track system that offers equivalent salaries and benefits for both teaching and administrative paths. After reaching the Master Teacher I level, educators can choose to stay in the Teaching Career Line, which now includes expanded positions up to Master Teacher VI, or move into the School Administration Career Line to become school leaders. 

This means a Master Teacher II will now enjoy the same pay grade as a School Principal I, ensuring that teaching expertise is valued just as highly as management. To support this growth, the law also mandates the creation of new position titles, including Teacher IV to VII and School Principal V.

Beyond salary increases, RA 12288 shifts promotions toward a competency-based system anchored on professional standards. Educators must pass a Standards-Based Assessment to advance, ensuring that promotions are rooted in merit and fitness rather than arbitrary criteria. 

For those who struggle with the transition, the law provides a safety net through a free support program led by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP). 

Crucially, the legislation guarantees that no incumbent teacher or school leader will suffer a reduction in salary or benefits during this transition, providing a secure and clear roadmap for the professional growth of the nation's educators.

‍

PASAY CITY—Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Legarda-Leviste sparked a firestorm during the resumption of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on January 19, Monday by exposing the ‘Cabral Files’ detailing over 17,000 DPWH projects categorized under suspicious "major tags."

“I have here the print out of the list of over 17,000 projects and they are actually divided into 12 major tags.” Congressman Leviste said in his statement to the committee.

The bombshell list accounts for a staggering P401.3 billion in allocable funds, with specific billions funneled into various cryptic labels. Leviste emphasized that these documents were obtained through official channels, highlighting a potential systematic lack of transparency in how multi-billion-peso infrastructure funds are distributed across the country.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary Ricardo Bernabe III admitted that while the department is currently validating district-specific allocations, they have no personal knowledge regarding the specific set of files presented by Congressman Leviste.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Senator Panfilo Lacson informed the public that Congressman Leandro Leviste may continue to submit documents pertaining to the ‘Cabral Files’ in the next committee hearings.

‍

QUEZON CITY—The fourth season of the UNTV Volleyball League (UVL) officially kicked off its pre-season matches on January 15 at the AFP Wellness Center in Camp Aguinaldo to allow teams to meet and discuss technical matters prior the opening ceremony on February 22, 2026 at the FilOil ECoOil Center. 

Ten government agencies composed of veterans and newcomers returned to the court to test their chemistry and conditioning ahead of the regular season. 

The opening day featured five high-stakes matchups, as teams representing the country’s public servants battled for early momentum in the prestigious charity-oriented league.

The morning session set a competitive tone, headlined by a clash between the AFP Lady Gunnar and the DENR Lawin Spikers. AFP utilized their home-court advantage at Camp Aguinaldo to showcase a disciplined offensive rhythm against the DENR defense winning 2 straight sets.

Meanwhile, the BFP Lady Firefighters also took 2 sets in their faced off against the MMDA Lady Spikers, while the PNP Lady Patrollers also had a head-start against NHA Home Masters. 

Following a mid-day technical meeting to finalize season protocols, the action resumed with the final two matches of the day. The DFA Emissaries went head-to-head with the COMELEC Suffragettes in a tactical battle where COMELEC claimed 2 sets.

To cap the day off, PhilHealth Health Insurers went against one of the newest teams in the league, the Pag-IBIG Lady Smashers. 

With UVL Season 4 underway, the league continues its mission of promoting camaraderie through sports while supporting various charitable causes across the Philippines.

Watch the opening ceremony of UVL Season 4 on February 22, 2026 at the FilOil EcoOil Center in San Juan and witness another year of hardcore battles between our public with one mission for sports and charity. 

PASAY CITY—Senator Risa Hontiveros has officially filed Senate Bill No. 1656, the "Revised Party-List System Act," a legislative measure aimed at reclaiming the party-list system for the marginalized. 

The bill seeks to bar members of political dynasties from using the system as a "backdoor to power" and prohibits nominees or representatives with interests in government contracts from participating. 

This move is designed to ensure that seats in Congress are occupied by genuine advocates rather than business interests or established political clans.

The push for reform gained significant momentum as a counterpart measure, House Bill No. 7074, was filed in the House of Representatives by Akbayan Party-list Reps. Chel Diokno, Perci Cendaña, and Dadah Ismula, alongside Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao. 

Hontiveros issued a stern warning against those exploiting the system for financial gain, stating that those looking to profit should not use the party-list as a "racket." By strengthening the definition of "marginalized and underrepresented," the bicameral effort aims to restore the original intent of Republic Act No. 7941 and give a voice back to ordinary Filipinos who have been excluded from presentation. 

‍