The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has delivered a performance so dismal, it borders on the absurd. Out of 1,700 classrooms targeted for completion this year, only 22 have been finished. That’s not a typo—it’s a completion rate of just 1.29 percent. With less than three months left in the year, and the holiday season fast approaching, the odds of meeting the target are virtually nonexistent.

This is not just a bureaucratic misstep. It is a betrayal of our children’s right to quality education.

The classroom backlog in the Philippines now stands at over 165,000. If current trends persist, that number could swell to 200,000 by 2028. And yet, the DPWH received the largest slice of the 2025 national budget—more than the entire education sector. How can we justify this allocation when the agency has failed so spectacularly in delivering one of the most basic public services?

The problem runs deeper than missed deadlines. It reflects a systemic failure in governance, planning, and accountability. Lawmakers have even resorted to redefining the education sector during budget deliberations, lumping in institutions that should fall under other departments. This sleight of hand dilutes the focus and funding meant for basic education, further exacerbating the crisis.

President Marcos Jr. has certified the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act as a priority measure—a step in the right direction. But legislation alone won’t fix this. We need a fundamental shift in how infrastructure projects are managed and executed. If the DPWH cannot deliver, then the mandate must be reassigned to agencies that can.

Every unfinished classroom is a missed opportunity. Every delay is a day stolen from a child’s future. We must stop normalizing dysfunction and start demanding results. The time for polite disappointment is over. What we need now is urgency, reform, and a renewed commitment to education as the cornerstone of national development. ([email protected])