The Philippines today faces a sobering truth: We are short of 165,000 classrooms. Twelve years ago, that number was 55,000. Instead of shrinking, the deficit has tripled.

This shortage is not abstract. It means students enduring double and triple class shifts. It means children studying in makeshift tents, on the ground, or under the sun. It means young minds being denied the space to dream, grow, and thrive.

The causes are complex and long-standing: rapid population growth, aging infrastructure, typhoon damage, decades of underinvestment in basic education, and systemic inefficiencies. Corruption has compounded the problem.

At the heart of any education system is the classroom. No reform matters more. A proper classroom is a child’s first learning space — the foundation where hope for a better future begins.

Yet out of the 1,700 classrooms targeted for construction this year by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), only 22 have been completed. With just 15 percent completion, experts warn that the backlog may grow to 200,000 by 2028. At this rate, the crisis may persist for another 50 years.

That is unacceptable. Thankfully, change has begun.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered a decisive shift in how we build classrooms. From now on, funding for classroom construction will go directly to local governments. This reform cuts through the red tape and moves the responsibility away from an embattled national agency toward those who are closest to the communities they serve.

This is more than a procedural change. It is a restoration of trust in local governance. Cities and municipalities now have both the resources and the mandate to deliver — with efficiency, transparency, and accountability.

The President’s vision is clear: empower local governments to act. DepEd and DPWH will continue to monitor compliance and ensure quality. But the initiative, the planning, and the implementation will begin in the communities themselves.

As national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, I have expressed full support for this reform. We welcome the responsibility. We understand what is at stake. We are thankful for the trust and confidence given to us by President Marcos.

We, in the local government units, know our schools. We know which barangays have overcrowded classrooms and which ones need urgent repair. That knowledge, coupled with a strong mandate and direct access to funds, can fast-track progress where it matters most.

In San Juan City, we have seen firsthand the power of education investment. Our public schools have modern classrooms, fiber optic internet connection, digital tools such as 55-inch Smart TVs, tablets and laptops, and inclusive programs that support both teachers and students. Every household with an enrolled student receives the same kind of internet access. This ecosystem of support has helped San Juan achieve the highest functional literacy rate amongst all highly urbanized cities in the country in 2024, as recognized by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

This is the power of local leadership. And it is what we now ask every city and municipality to deliver.

To my fellow local government leaders: Let this be our shared commitment. Build with urgency, but with integrity. Use every peso wisely. Deliver classrooms that last — classrooms that inspire.

To our teachers and parents: thank you. Your tireless work gives meaning to every brick we lay and every plan we fund.

And to every Filipino child: Know this — your government believes in you. Your dreams matter. And your future is worth every effort.

Education is the greatest equalizer. It is the path out of poverty, the doorway to opportunity, and the promise we owe every Filipino family. It is the most lasting legacy we can build.

Let us not delay. Let us not look away. Let us build not just classrooms — but the future.