By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday urged local government units (LGUs) to accelerate the construction, repair and rehabilitation of classrooms, emphasizing that safe and sufficient learning spaces are crucial for the country’s youth.
During a ceremony at Malacañan Palace, Marcos received the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by the Department of Education (DepEd) and city officials for the Nationwide Classroom Building Program, formalizing LGU participation in implementing school infrastructure projects.
“Kapag kulang ang classroom, masikip ang klase, nahahati sa ilang shift ang pasok ng estudyante, mas nahihirapang matuto ang mga mag-aaral, mas nabibigatan magturo ang mga guro (When classrooms are insufficient, classes become crowded, students attend in shifts, learning becomes harder, and teaching becomes heavier for our teachers),” Marcos said, stressing the urgency of addressing the country’s classroom shortage of over 140,000 units as of January 2026.
Under the program, LGUs will oversee project implementation, procurement and on-site management, while DepEd sets technical standards, validates projects, and monitors compliance to ensure public funds are properly used.
Funds will be released in three tranches to dedicated trust accounts, with monthly and quarterly reporting to guarantee accountability.
The first tranche of PHP9.6 billion will fund over 4,000 classrooms, with an additional 1,700 classrooms worth PHP5.96 billion under the MOA.
Marcos reminded LGUs to ensure the timely completion and quality of the projects.
“Tiyakin natin hindi maantala ang mga proyekto. Tiyaki natin kalidad ang ating mga patatayo na silid-aralan” (Let us ensure that projects are not delayed. Let us ensure the quality of the classrooms we build ),” he said.
The President said the program forms part of broader efforts to support teachers, provide learning materials and ensure high-standard education infrastructure nationwide, signaling a shift toward faster, more responsive implementation of classroom projects. (PNA)
