Over 5,000 public school teachers will receive their much-awaited promotion following the approval of reclassification applications, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the DepEd said 5,335 reclassification applications were approved in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to prioritize teachers’ welfare and professional development.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said the implementation of the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) demonstrates the administration’s sustained efforts in strengthening career advancement opportunities for public school teachers nationwide.

“Following President Bongbong Marcos’ directive, we are accelerating the ECP system to make sure no public school teacher ever retires at the entry-level rank of Teacher I,” he said.

For 2026 alone, the DepEd targets to promote more than 100,000 public school teachers under the ECP.

“This is more than achieving numbers. This is about our sustained efforts to ensure our educators receive the recognition they truly deserve,” Angara said.

For 2026, the DepEd secured a historic PHP6.1 billion allocation, with the aim of boosting the morale of teachers and administrators, and eventually improving the overall learning outcomes for Filipino learners.

Besides career progression among teachers, the DepEd is also advancing reforms for leadership in public schools.

To date, the DepEd is waiting for the DBM’s final review and approval of 914 on-stream candidates for reclassification among School Principal items.

These cover positions such as Head Teachers, Assistant School Principals, and Teachers-in-Charge. (PNA)