DepEd orders immediate release of 2026 Medical Allowance for teachers and staff

DepEd orders immediate release of 2026 Medical Allowance for teachers and staff

The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued a formal mandate to all regional and division offices to fast-track the processing and release of the Medical Allowance for Fiscal Year 2026.

In a memorandum dated January 26, 2026 (DM-OUHROD-2026-0160), Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development Wilfredo E. Cabral directed field offices to bypass unnecessary delays and ensure the benefit reaches eligible personnel within the first quarter of the year.

Expedited Timeline and Funding

The directive emphasizes that the release should be completed before the end of March 2026, provided that funds are available. To meet this aggressive timeline, Regional Offices (ROs) and Schools Division Offices (SDOs) have been authorized to "frontload" their available Personnel Services (PS) funds.

The disbursement will be handled strictly through payroll, ensuring a direct and transparent payment process to all education workers.

Who is Eligible?

According to the guidelines, the allowance is available to:
* Existing Personnel: Those who have rendered or are expected to render a total of at least six months of service within the 2026 fiscal year.
* New Hires: Newly appointed staff will become eligible for the benefit once they hit the six-month service milestone.

To trigger the payment, all eligible teachers and non-teaching personnel must submit Annex A (Medical Allowance Registration Form). This document allows employees to select their preferred individual mode of availment. These forms will serve as the primary basis for the Focal Offices to consolidate payroll records.

Accountability at the Local Level

The memorandum serves as a firm reminder to Regional Directors and Schools Division Superintendents that the Medical Allowance is a mandated benefit under DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2025. By framing the release as an "immediate" requirement, the Central Office is signaling a zero-tolerance policy for administrative bottlenecks that have historically delayed teacher benefits.

FULL TEXT OF MEMORANDUM

MEMORANDUM

DM OUHROD-2026-0160

TO

REGIONAL DIRECTORS SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS ALL OTHERS CONCERNED

FROM:

WILFREDO E. CABRAL

Undersscretary for Human Resource and Organisational Development and Infrastructure

SUBJECT : INSTRUCTIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION IMMEDIATE PROCESSING OF THE MEDICAL ALLOWANCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026

DATE: 26 January 2026

In line with the implementation of DepEd Order (DO) No. 16, s. 2025 titled Guidelines on the Grant of Medical Allewance to the Depertment of Education Personnel, all Focal Offices (ROs) identified under Section V.F (Roles and Responsibilities) for the Regional Offices (ROS), Schools Dirision Offices (SDOs), and the Central Office (CO) are hereby dirscted to immediately facilitate the release of the medical allowance for FY 2026.

For FY 2026, FOs across all governance levels are authorized to only process the release of medical allowance via payroll diabursement, particularty through the turo (2) individual availment options. This is done to enature the expeditious release before the end of Quarter 1 of FY 2026, subject to the avallability of funds. To help mect this timeline, ROs and SDOs may frontload avallable Personnel Services (PS) funde as necessary.

Personnel who are alrendy in ther in the and who are expected to render at least a total or aggregate of six (6) months of service within FY 2026 shall be eligible for the Medical Allowance. Newly hired personnel shall be eligible only after rendering six (6) months of servics. All eligible personnel must submit Annex A (Medical Allowance Registration Form) indicating their chosen individual mode of avallment. FOs shall consolidate these forms as the basis for payroll processing.

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