The Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Regional Orientation Conference on the implementation of the Educational Service Contracting (ESC), Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS), and Senior High School (SHS) voucher programs in SY 2026-2027 was held on 13 May 2026 at the Prince Bernhard Gymnasium, Saint Louis University (SLU) Main Campus.
Bringing together private education administrators and instructors from across CAR, specifically from the divisions of Apayao, Tabuk City, Kalinga, Abra, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Benguet, and Baguio City, the event briefed local private education institutions under PEAC on the voucher programs.
The event was organized by the Department of Education – Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd-CAR) under the leadership of Regional Director Nicolas T. Capulong, PhD, and the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) – CAR led by Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM, PhD., SLU President and PEAC Regional Director for Cordillera, and Joselito C. Gutierrez, PhD, PEAC Regional Coordinator.
Fr. Sales in his opening remarks said, “This conference serves as a vital compass for navigating the intricacies of the GASTPE. The strength of our regional education landscape lies in the synergy of the government and private sector.” He further expressed his gratitude to school administrators and partners in the event.
Right after, other remarks were given, beginning with a recorded message from the Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary and PEAC Chairman Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara. He said, “Our DepEd voucher program has been growing, and we want to make it even more updated and better-suited to today’s times and needs, and I think it’s a really great manifestation of the constitutional principle of complementary unity of public and private education.”
Other PEAC committee members also gave their remarks: Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, PhD, Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities (ACSU) President Betty Cernol McCann, PhD, Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) President Fr. Karel S. San Juan, SJ, and Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) President Marco Alfredo M. Benitez.
RD Capulong, representing DepEd Cordillera, gave his remarks and said, “Through these initiatives, thousands of Filipino learners are given greater opportunities to pursue quality education, while our private education partners are empowered to continue their vital role in educational transformation.”
Kickstarting the event’s talks, Mr. Bronzon Partick F. Del Rosario, Certification Unit Head, provided the GASTPE program’s performance highlights and data sets for the school year 2025-2026 and work plans for the school year 2026-2027.
Certificates were then given to recognize the ESC Schools that were certified in S.Y. 2025-2026, led by Certification Unit Associate for Operations Mr. Alexis Joseph O. Quejas.
To end the morning session, representatives from the Government Assistance and Subsidies Service (GASS), DepEd Central Office Ernest Robert A. Estolaga, Project Development III and Riene Dimakiling, Project Development Officer II, gave updates and briefed participants on the guidelines, procedures, eligibility, and allocation pertaining to the GASTPE and E-GASTPE programs in the region.
PEAC Certifier and University of Baguio Dean of the School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts Antonio Mangaliag, PhD, reminded participants to move beyond just fulfilling the requirements for DepEd certification. “Certification is not a one-time activity– it is a continuing process.” he said, highlighting the importance of educational institutions’ need for quality assurance.
In the afternoon session, PEAC Information Technology and Information Management Unit Head Eimann P. Evarola discussed information security and data privacy protection. He emphasized the importance of data protection in school administration, citing the need for a data protection officer. Evarola continued to talk about the GATSPE guidelines and Processing of GATSPE Billing Documents, including learner eligibility, guidelines for ESC, TSS, and SHS Voucher grantees.
Finally, Billing and Processing Systems Associate of PEAC’s Monitoring and Processing Unit Kevin Allan A. Catenza showcased the PEAC website and each of its key functions.
Aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and 17 (Partnership for the Goals), the conference fostered an environment where learners are nurtured and valued through proactive measures to provide support in line with Philippine academic standards. (Article by Kemm Mitchell Olarte, UIO Intern | Photos by John Aaron Bagni, UIO Intern)
