The Department of Education (DepEd) has directed all offices to immediately facilitate the release of the medical allowance for qualified education personnel for Fiscal Year 2026, based on guidelines issued under DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2025.
According to the memorandum dated 26 January 2026, the instruction applies to all local offices, including Regional Offices (ROs), Schools Division Offices (SDOs), and the Central Office (CO). The directive emphasizes the urgent implementation and immediate processing of the medical allowance to ensure timely support for DepEd personnel.
A key provision of the memorandum states that for FY 2026, Field Offices (FOs) across all governance levels are authorized to process the release of the medical allowance only through payroll disbursement, particularly using two available individual availment options. This policy is intended to speed up the release of benefits before the end of the first quarter of FY 2026, subject to the availability of funds.
To help meet this deadline, Regional Offices and Schools Division Offices may frontload available Personnel Services (PS) funds as necessary. This means offices may use available PS allocations early to avoid delays in releasing the allowance.
The memorandum also clarifies who may qualify for the benefit. Personnel already in service and expected to render at least a total of six months of service within FY 2026 will be eligible for the medical allowance. Meanwhile, newly hired personnel may qualify only after they have completed six months of service.
The following SDOs have already released or credited the Medical Allowance:
- SDO Aurora
- SDO Bislig City
- SDO Butuan
- SDO Escalante
- SDO Isabela
- SDO Las Piñas
- SDO Mandaluyong City
- SDO Pasay City
- SDO San JoseC City
- SDO Sarangani
- SDO Surigao del Sur
- SDO Tarlac City
- SDO Zamboanga del Sur
As more Schools Division Offices complete the processing and crediting of the allowance, DepEd personnel in other areas are hopeful that the release in their respective divisions will follow soon.
