SEN. Bong Go has filed Senate Bill (SB) 1785 to update the utilization of the Special Education Fund (SEF).
SB 1785 seeks to institutionalize a broader range of allowable expenditures including personnel salaries and the operation of the Alternative Learning System.
This will enable local governments to support the needs of learners and educators.
In filing the bill, Go said SEF comes from the additional one percent tax on real property and is allotted to the local school boards.
“It serves as a vital source of supplementary funding for schools, particularly those in need of financial support to sustain their operations and educational programs,” Go said in a statement.
He said that under the Local Government Code, the SEF is intended for the operation and maintenance of public schools, construction and repair of school buildings and facilities, educational research, purchase of books and periodicals, and sports development.
“However, the law narrowly defines the scope of SEF utilization, thereby limiting its potential to address emerging educational needs,” Go added.
He noted that local government units have long raised concerns about these limitations.
“Local government units have long expressed that the prescribed uses of the SEF are too restrictive,” Go added.