SEN. Bong Go has filed a bill to expand the allowable uses of the Special Education Fund (SEF), giving local governments greater flexibility to address urgent needs in the country’s public education system. Filed as Senate Bill 1785, the proposed measure seeks to amend Section 272 of the Local Government Code of 1991 to broaden the purposes and applications of the SEF, a fund generated from an additional 1-percent tax on real property. For what the special education fund is used The SEF is allocated to local school boards and serves as a key supplemental funding source for public schools. Under existing law, the fund is primarily used for: – Operation and maintenance of public schools. – Construction and repair of school buildings and facilities. – Educational research. – Purchase of books and periodicals. – Support for sports development programs. However, Go said the current law limits the scope of the fund’s use, preventing local governments from maximizing the resource to meet evolving educational needs. Institutionalizing expanded spending The senator noted that government agencies have already recognized the need to broaden SEF spending. In 2020, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Budget and Management issued Joint Circular 2, Series of 2020, which expanded allowable expenditures under the fund. The circular allowed SEF to cover expenses related to: – Production of self-learning modules, textbooks, activity sheets and study guides approved by DepEd. – Purchase of external storage devices such as flash drives and hard drives. – Communication expenses related to education delivery. The bill aims to institutionalize these expanded uses into law, ensuring they remain in place beyond administrative directives. Addressing pandemic lessons, infrastructure gaps Go said the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the need for a more adaptable education financing system, particularly during the shift to distance and modular learning. He added that many initiatives that the SEF could have aided remain unfunded due to restrictive provisions in the law. The senator also cited data from the Department of Education showing that, as of May 2025, the country faces a shortage of about 165,000 classrooms, highlighting the urgent need to use all available education funds. Additional proposed uses Under the proposed measure, the Special Education Fund could also be used for: – Construction and repair of libraries. – Payment of salaries, allowances and benefits for teaching and nonteaching personnel. – Additional education-related programs deemed necessary by local school boards. The measure aims to strengthen the capability of local government units to support public schools and improve access to quality education. Next steps The bill will undergo review and hearings in the Senate of the Philippines before it can advance through the legislative process and be considered by the House of Representatives. If passed into law, proponents say the expanded use of the Special Education Fund could help local governments address long-standing classroom shortages, learning materials and education personnel — key challenges facing the Philippine public school system.