2026 IJRSE – Volume 15 Issue 2
Available Online: 2 February 2026
Author/s:
Serillano, Raquel L.*
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Philippines (raquel.serillano@cbsua.edu.ph)
Toraldo, Sarah Mediatrix P.
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Philippines (sptoraldo@up.edu.ph)
Gavino, Marianne A.
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Philippines (marianne.arojado@deped.gov.ph)
Pajarillo, Jovert G.
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Philippines (jovert.pajarillo@deped.gov.ph)
Roxas, Imari Meryl S.
Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, Philippines (imarimeryl.roxas@cbsua.edu.ph)
Abstract:
The professional development of teachers has shifted from being regarded as an optional add-on to a key part of educational quality. It prepares teachers to effectively adapt to changing learning environments, meet diverse student needs, and build self-efficacy and job satisfaction—factors that directly enhance student outcomes and education quality. In institutional planning, PD becomes a strategic, shared investment that boosts individual skills and increases overall efficiency. Educational institutions, therefore, both have the opportunity and responsibility, along with international and local mandates, to promote teachers’ PD. In the Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd) has put policies and guidelines in place for teacher PD, conducting 22 programs between 2013 and 2023. This review examines the progress and gaps in these initiatives, identifies coping strategies and best practices, and offers recommendations to bridge the gaps. Results show a significant shift from fragmented, short-term seminars to a unified skill-based framework, with notable improvements in centralized quality assurance, clearer policy guidance, increased teacher confidence, institutionalized collaborative learning, and greater access to digital tools. However, ongoing challenges remain in program content, implementation, and structural support, particularly in maintaining continuity and coherence throughout a teacher’s career. These gaps underline that PD is not just a technical issue but also a human, organizational, and cultural challenge. The paper thus concludes that effective PD must be tailored to context, collaborative, and ongoing, fostering reflective practice, professional identity, and shared responsibility for student success.
Keywords: DepEd programs, professional development, DepEd PD programs, teacher professional development, gains and gaps in DepEd PD programs
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26018
Cite this article:
Serillano, R. L., Toraldo, S. M. P., Gavino, M. A., Pajarillo, J. G., & Roxas, I. M. S. (2026). Exploring the gains and gaps in DepEd professional development programs: A systematic review. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 15(2), 23-37. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26018
* Corresponding Author