PBBM orders gov’t agencies, LGUs to fast-track completion of classrooms 

By Brian Campued

“Nakatuon na ang paningin ng Pangulo sa mga mabilis na pagsasaayos ng mga classrooms.”

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Education (DepEd), and local government units (LGUs) will sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to address the classroom backlog in the country.

This was announced by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro during a press briefing on Wednesday, underscoring the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to speed up the completion of classroom projects nationwide.

Under the planned MOA, Castro said, LGUs will receive direct funding for the construction of classrooms while the DPWH and DepEd will monitor its implementation and progress.

“Ang nais ng Pangulo, ang kakulangan sa classrooms ay dapat na mapunan sa lalong madaling panahon para sa kabutihan ng mga mag-aaral,” she said.

“Hindi puwede ang mabagal kumilos, iyan ang direktiba ng Pangulo,” the Palace press briefer added.

According to Castro, around 200 classrooms are expected to be completed by the DPWH before the end of 2025 and another 822 by the second quarter of 2026.

She said that approximately 2,370 classrooms will be constructed through the partnership between DepEd, DPWH, and LGUs.

In his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, the President committed to build 40,000 classrooms before his administration ends in 2028.

“Naniniwala si Pangulong Marcos Jr. na ang pagkakaroon ng maayos at sustainable na mga classrooms sa bansa ay magsisilbing pundasyon ng karunungan, kaalaman, at galing ng mga kabataang Pilipino na siyang isinusulong sa ilalim ng Bagong Pilipinas,” Castro stressed.

During the Senate Committee on Finance’s hearing on the proposed budget of the DPWH on Monday, Sec. Vince Dizon revealed that only 22 out of the 1,700 target classrooms have been completed as of October this year.

DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara, for his part, pushed for reforms in classroom construction to address the long-standing shortage in schools, including collaborating with different sectors.

-jpv