Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday, December 4, said the government needs at least P400 billion to eliminate the country’s massive classroom shortage, as he urged local government units (LGUs) to align more closely with national efforts to accelerate school infrastructure construction.

Speaking at the 109th National Executive Board (NEB) Meeting of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Angara called on LGUs to play a more proactive role in resolving the decades-long classroom shortage, emphasizing that stronger national–local coordination is essential to speeding up school infrastructure delivery.

Addressing governors, mayors, vice mayors, councilors, local leaders, and partners, Angara outlined DepEd’s priorities for 2026 and beyond and called for a unified approach to addressing education gaps.

“We are gathered today to confront one of the most persistent challenges that has burdened our education sector for decades—our classroom gap,” Angara said.

He also acknowledged ULAP President and Quirino Governor Dax Cua for championing local engagement on education and infrastructure concerns.

Angara said the country’s 165,000-classroom shortage is the result of years of accumulated problems, including recurring natural disasters, slow implementation of building programs, overreliance on a single implementing agency, and limited infrastructure planning capacity at the local level.

“If there is one thing I realized while reviewing how DepEd ended up with a 165,000-classroom backlog, it is that this crisis did not emerge overnight,” Angara said.

These issues, he noted, have forced many schools into makeshift arrangements.

He cited North Central Elementary School in Dagupan City, where administrators converted the library and ICT room into temporary Grade 4 classrooms, leaving hundreds of textbooks and 20 computers stored and unused.

“Nagkaroon na tayo ng domino effect—isang problema ang humihila sa susunod, hanggang sa mismong learning tools ng mga bata ay hindi na nagagamit (We’ve already seen a domino effect—one problem pulls the next, until even the children’s learning tools are no longer being used),” Angara said.

Angara estimated that fully addressing the backlog would cost about P400 billion, based on the current construction cost of P2.4 million per classroom.

Despite the scale of the requirement, he noted that government support is increasing.

“To give you an overview: based on the average cost of P2.4 million per classroom, we would need around P400 billion to close the gap,” Angara said.

“At hindi pa kasama diyan ang timeline, manpower, resources, at contractors na kaagapay natin sa pagpapatupad ng ating school infrastructure projects (And that doesn’t even include the timeline, manpower, resources, and contractors who work alongside us in implementing our school infrastructure projects),” he added.

Angara said the proposed 2026 DepEd budget allocates P85.4 billion for the construction and repair of more than 24,500 classrooms and supporting facilities.

Angara emphasized shifting toward a model where LGUs take on stronger roles in classroom construction, saying they are closest to schools and best understand local needs.

“We cannot dwell on the problem alone, and now I take this moment to urge all LGU officials to join the Department in this transformative journey,” he said. “We must ensure that all available means—including LGU involvement—become not a hindrance, but a stronger pathway to finally solving a decade-long challenge.”

He asked LGUs to provide accurate data on classroom requirements, manage the construction and monitoring of DepEd-funded classrooms, identify temporary learning spaces, and fast-track land titling and permits.

“Remember: Kami ang magsisilbing custodians, pero kayo ang hahawak ng manibela sa mas mabilis at epektibong pagbuo ng ating mga pasilidad (We will serve as custodians, but you will be at the wheel in driving the faster and more effective construction of our facilities),” Angara said.

“At sana lang po, ang pakiusap ko, hindi po ito magaya sa flood control scams. Huwag nating hayaan matangay ng baha ang kinabukasan ng ating mga kababayan (And my only plea is this: let’s not allow this to end up like the flood control scams. Let us not permit the future of our people to be swept away by the flood),” he added.

Angara also presented DepEd’s core priorities for 2026, which include improving learning outcomes, strengthening support for teachers, expanding public-private partnerships for school buildings, and accelerating infrastructure programs.

He said these reforms are essential to ensuring quality basic education nationwide.

Angara acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed confidence that stronger national–local collaboration can lead to long-term solutions.

The classroom shortage, he said, is “not a unique story,” as every LGU faces its own problems with school facilities.

“This is the painful outcome of decade-long inefficiencies, and we end up sacrificing the quality of education just to make room for as many learners as we possibly can,” he said.

“I’d be lying if I said that everything will get easier—there is even a possibility that it might get more challenging,” Angara said. “But we cannot dwell on the problem alone,” he added. 

ULAP officials welcomed DepEd’s updates, stressing that deeper coordination between national and local governments is essential to addressing the diverse needs of schools across the country.

Angara reaffirmed DepEd’s commitment to working closely with LGUs, underscoring their critical role in ensuring accessible and quality basic education.