PISAY receives P413M budget increase for 2026

A P413 million budget increase was approved for the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for fiscal year 2026, PSHS confirmed on Thursday.

From an initial National Expenditure Program (NEP) of P3.054 billion, PSHS, commonly known as Pisay, shall receive a P3.354 billion budget approved by the Committee on Finance (Subcommittee L) during a Senate plenary session on Nov. 12, Wednesday.

“Investing in the education and training of our scholars is vital to developing a highly skilled and globally competitive Filipino workforce,” the committee report stated.

The budget increase shall benefit 16 campuses and the expected rise in the population of 10,935 scholars.

“The graduates of the Philippine Science High School System have consistently proven to be among the country’s best and most talented, excelling in science, technology, and innovation,” the committee added.

The committee emphasized strengthening scholarship support and research training and to fund the proposed adjustment in scholars’ monthly stipends, which have remained unchanged for the past decade.

Such a budget increase aligns with the recently implemented Expanded Philippine Science High School System Act (Republic Act No. 12310), which aims to widen STEM education nationwide and establish new campuses in underserved regions.

“In a world where science and technology are evolving faster than ever, we must make sure our young people are not left behind. When we empower them here in the Philippines, they can thrive and drive our nation’s growth,” Senator Camille Villar, who presided over the hearing, stated.

Meanwhile, the DOST-Junior Level Science Scholarships (JLSS) program for third-year college students in priority S&T fields captured public attention after releasing results on Oct. 31 with a decrease in passers from approximately 24% in 2024 to only 6.56% in 2025. 

Similarly, the DOST-SEI Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP) in UP Diliman also experienced a scholarship reduction, with over 70 master’s and doctoral students losing their grants this academic year.

In the 2025 NEP, the DOST proposed a P49.25 billion budget, but only P28.77 billion was approved, resulting in a shortfall of more than half.