OFWs’ journey home leads to teaching once more as DepEd expands reintegration fair

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TACLOBAN CITY, 15 April 2026—To honor overseas teachers who return to their calling in the country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Wednesday officially launched the nationwide expansion of reintegration services to bring displaced overseas Filipino educators back into the local workforce.

This effort is headlined by the Balik Turo: A Hero’s Journey Way Home initiative, a featured segment of the whole-of-government Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa National Reintegration Network (NRN) Regional Fairs held at Department of Education (DepEd) venues across the country.

“Ang direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos ay tiyaking may naghihintay na maayos na trabaho para sa ating mga gurong nagbabalik-bayan upang hindi na nila kailangang muling mawalay sa kanilang mga pamilya,” Secretary Angara said.

“Sa pamamagitan ng programang ito, binibigyan natin ng boses at pagkakataon ang ating mga bagong bayani na maglingkod muli sa ating mga silid-aralan,” he added.

During the kick-off at the Leyte National High School Gymnasium, the Balik Turo program featured teachers from the Sa ‘Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir (SPIMS) Program who shared moving testimonials regarding their successful transition from overseas employment to positions in public schools.

These educators expressed their gratitude for being allowed to continue their teaching vocation within their own communities while being reunited with their families through the SPIMS Program.

“Masaya po ako sa ganitong programa kasi malaking tulong ito para sa mga guro na mga OFW na gusto nang bumalik sa Pilipinas at manilbihan bilang isang guro ulit,” said Evan Jose P. De Veyra, who taught in Thailand for 17 years and now serves as Teacher I at Alangalang National High School in Leyte.

“Nothing compares with teaching your own countrymen at ang magkatrabaho po na malapit sa pamilya ay napakasarap na feeling. I am very grateful to our government for supporting us,” said George Michael Celiz who now teaches at Julio Mapa Elementary School in Talisay City.

Since its inception in 2014, the SPIMS program—a collaborative effort with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW)—has successfully integrated 11,056 OFW teachers into the DepEd system.

The nationwide expansion of the NRN Fairs and Balik Turo program follows the successful pilot in Quezon City on April 4, reflecting President Marcos’ priority to ensure the safety and economic security of over 5,000 OFWs and their dependents recently repatriated from high-risk areas in the Middle East.

Throughout the week-long NRN Regional Fairs, DepEd is providing essential services including a dedicated SPIMS Help Desk and on-site registration for Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) tests.

Families of OFWs can also access Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) registration and Senior High School voucher program support to ensure the uninterrupted schooling of their children.



To further professional growth, DepEd through the Teacher Education Council is offering scholarships in priority programs, alongside sponsorships for board exam review classes and professional licensing fees.

PBBM leads mass oath-taking of 2,121 promoted Eastern Visayas teachers

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TACLOBAN CITY, 15 April 2026—President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday witnessed the mass oath-taking of 2,121 newly promoted public school teachers and school heads in Eastern Visayas, in another decisive step in uplifting the country’s education workforce.

At the Tacloban City Astrodome, Education Secretary Sonny Angara administered the oath of office to the educators whose career advancements were made possible primarily through the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System, with the remainder through natural vacancies.

Secretary Angara emphasized that these promotions are a direct result of President Marcos’ focus on teacher welfare and professional growth.

“Para ito sa inyong mga guro dito sa Eastern Visayas na araw-araw nagpapakita ng tatag at malasakit, kahit ilang bagyo na ang dumaan. Kayo ang patunay na tuloy ang laban, tuloy ang turo,” Angara said.

“Sa ilalim ng administrasyong Marcos, sisiguraduhin natin na bawat guro, may sapat na oportunidad at mas maayos na kinabukasan.”

He added that the ECP effectively removes the bottlenecks in the Department of Education (DepEd) that previously left thousands of qualified teachers stagnant in entry-level positions for decades.

"Sa pamamagitan ng ECP, winawakasan na natin ang matagal na paghihintay ng ating mga guro para sa promosyon upang mabigyan sila ng tamang antas at sahod na nararapat sa kanilang serbisyo,” said Angara.

The mass oath-taking also carried a poignant note as Angara acknowledged 26 of the longest serving teachers in the region—ranging from 12 to 39 years in service—ensuring they receive the higher rank and benefits they earned throughout their careers before entering retirement.

Angara also said that among the newly promoted were two beneficiaries of the Sa ‘Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir (SPIMS) program—an initiative that reintegrates licensed overseas Filipino worker teachers into the Philippine public school system.

President Marcos together with Angara arrived at the venue after attending the launch of the nationwide Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa National Reintegration Network (NRN) Regional Fairs.

This whole-of-government effort is headlined by the SPIMS program featured in the Balik Turo: A Hero’s Journey Home segment.

The mass oath-taking ceremony recognized the advancement of personnel ranging from Teacher I to VII to School Principals I to IV under Executive Order No. 174 series 2022, which establishes expanded career ranks to provide more advancement opportunities.

This year, DepEd targets 100,000 promotions nationwide under the ECP, which allows educators to advance through either classroom teaching or school administration tracks.

Angara fast-tracks delivery of disaster-resilient classrooms

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MAKATI CITY, 14 April 2026 — Education Secretary Sonny Angara is accelerating the disbursement of funds for Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS), prioritizing the construction of disaster-resilient classrooms in schools with the most urgent needs.



Through the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), the Department of Education (DepEd) aims to address the nationwide classroom backlog with this rapid and cost-efficient solution.



“Bilang tugon sa utos ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, bibilisan natin ang paglalabas ng pondo para sa mga classrooms na kayang tumagal sa sakuna. Ang mahalaga rito, hindi maputol ang pag-aaral ng mga bata,” ani Angara.



“Bahagi ito ng plano ng administrasyong Marcos na siguruhing mabilis makarating ang tulong at mga de-kalidad na pasilidad sa mga lugar na hirap sa kakulangan ng silid-aralan.”



The LCS program has been granted a Php3.5 billion allocation for Fiscal Year 2026 to deliver classrooms to schools dealing with severe shortages, condemned or unsafe structures, or immediate need for learning spaces.



To ensure swift implementation, Angara said DepEd is downloading funds directly to Schools Division Offices (SDO) for immediate procurement and construction.



He emphasized the flexibility of the LCS strategy, noting that sourcing most materials and labor locally makes it easier to adjust to the specific needs of each site.



Except for specialized components like sandwich panels, most materials will be bought from local hardware suppliers, boosting local economies while avoiding logistical delays.



Angara encouraged field offices to replicate the successful implementation models used in Masbate, Davao, and Bogo City.



Unlike traditional construction, each LCS unit can be installed and fully functional within one to two weeks.



Built to meet strict standards, these specialized structures can withstand local environmental hazards. They offer a more economical alternative to permanent buildings without compromising safety or climate-resilience benchmarks.

This streamlined approach ensures that learners in vulnerable areas can return to safe, functional learning environments without delay.