President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday announced the allocation of about PHP9.6 billion for the construction of 4,000 classrooms nationwide to address the shortage of learning spaces.
Marcos made the announcement during the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Education (DepEd) and local government units (LGUs) to formalize a partnership to accelerate classroom construction and address the backlog.
During the signing ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila, the President said the funding would be earmarked for the first phase of the Nationwide Classroom Construction Program, which will be implemented under the MOA.
“So, the first tranche of the Nationwide Classroom Construction Program, we have programmed PHP9.6 billion for this new program,” he said.
“In total, the first tranche will deliver 4,000 new classrooms nationwide, which we hope will directly improve the daily learning and teaching experience.”
Marcos noted that provincial governments would receive PHP4.1 billion for the construction of an estimated 1,200 classrooms, while the DepEd would procure about 2,800 prefabricated classrooms valued at more than PHP5 billion.
He vowed to spend the remainder of his term prioritizing the education sector by addressing the classroom shortage of 145,000 units as of December 2025.
“I have seen many of the struggles that our students, our teachers, and our parents face when having to send their children to school. They are studying and dreaming of a better future in poorly built facilities, cramped spaces, and sometimes no facilities at all,” Marcos said.
“And this is the gap that we must address urgently. It is the reason why this administration has been finding all kinds of alternative ways that we can immediately close this yawning gap.”
Marcos said the partnership between the DepEd and LGUs is among the government’s initiatives to fast-track the construction of new school buildings aimed at giving both teachers and learners a safer and more conducive environment.
He said the DepEd is also working on public-private partnership schemes to help build additional classrooms.
“We cannot wait another five or 10 years to ensure that every student has a comfortable classroom,” Marcos said.
During the event, the President received the signed agreement, marking a coordinated national and local effort to strengthen public education infrastructure.
Under the agreement, LGUs will carry out the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of classrooms within their jurisdictions, including procurement and on-site implementation, in accordance with national standards.
The DepEd will identify priority schools, issue standard classroom designs and technical specifications, and oversee the process through plan review, validation of completed works, and compliance checks on safety, accessibility, and quality standards.
Both DepEd and LGUs will share responsibilities for funding, monitoring, and long-term maintenance, supported by regular financial and physical accomplishment reports, key performance indicators, and public disclosure measures to ensure transparency, accountability and timely project completion. (PNA)
