The Department of Education (DepEd) has announced a major crackdown on fraud within the Senior High School Voucher Program, vowing to intensify reforms through stricter controls and legal action.
Legal Action and Financial Impact
In a press briefing held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed that DepEd has initiated legal proceedings against entities and individuals involved in fraudulent subsidy claims. The department has filed seven cases against erring private schools and has brought criminal charges against people who allegedly claimed vouchers for ineligible or even fictitious students.
The total amount involved in these cases is a substantial P37.58 million, all of which is now undergoing formal legal proceedings. This move is a core part of DepEd's broader mission to clean up the voucher program and ensure that government financial assistance reaches only qualified and legitimate learners.
Systemic Reforms and Stricter Validation
Alongside the lawsuits, DepEd is implementing robust governance enhancements under the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-Gastpe). Secretary Angara explained that the old system, which involved advancing payments, has been completely overhauled.
"We changed the system," Angara stated. "Before, payments were released immediately and in advance. Now, we carefully verify the results—checking if the learner is enrolled, confirming the learner number—and we have instituted safeguards at both the school and DepEd levels. We now cross-check our databases, which was not done before."
This new approach includes a strengthened five-step validation framework designed to prevent fraud. The process involves:
- Cross-matching data between the Voucher Management System and the Learner Information System.
- Resolving any discrepancies found.
- Conducting post-audit monitoring visits to participating private schools.
- Performing site inspections by DepEd field offices.
- Revalidating learner eligibility and enrollment status in the second semester.
Significant Savings and Future Safeguards
The impact of these tighter controls has already been substantial. Angara reported that during School Years 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, the new measures prevented at least P200 million in subsidies from being wrongly released to ineligible beneficiaries.
Looking forward, DepEd is finalizing updated guidelines for recognizing senior high schools that wish to join the voucher program. The goal is to ensure private institutions meet consistent standards for quality, compliance, and accountability before they are allowed to participate.
These comprehensive reforms represent DepEd's committed push to reinforce transparency, fiscal discipline, and institutional safeguards in the Senior High School Voucher Program. The ultimate aim is to guarantee that crucial government support is delivered efficiently and exclusively to the students who truly qualify and need it most.
