South Cotabato, Philippines | February 5, 2026— The Provincial Government of South Cotabato, through the Provincial School Board (PSB), has approved the 2026 Special Education Fund (SEF) Annual Budget amounting to ₱85 million, following the unanimous adoption of Resolution No. 09-2025 during its regular meeting.
The approved SEF fund provides funding support for three key education components: Operation and Maintenance of Public Schools, Sports Development Program, and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD).
During the Governor’s Meet the Press, Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. explained that the ₱85-million SEF Annual Budget is part of a much larger, consolidated education funding effort of the province, which now reaches approximately ₱177 million when combined with supplemental SEF allocations and education-related funding from the General Fund.
“We increased our Special Education Fund almost double to ensure that the proper budget for education is provided,” Governor Tamayo said.
The Governor emphasized that the expanded education funding is directly linked to the province’s policy of prohibiting collections in public elementary and high schools, including PTA, and other school-imposed fees.
“We strictly prohibit PTA, and other additional fees in elementary and high schools in the Province of South Cotabato. There should be no collections in our schools,” he added.
To further support implementation, the province also approved SEF Supplemental Budget No. 1 for CY 2026, amounting to ₱27.52 million, sourced from cash savings as of December 31, 2025.
This ensures continuity of funding for personnel and school operations, especially during the school year.
The allocation is sourced from Special Education Tax collections and is fully compliant with existing DepEd–DBM–DILG Joint Circulars governing the use of SEF.
