Public school learners and teachers will soon benefit from bamboo-made school furniture as the Department of Education (DepEd) begins its rollout in selected schools starting February.

The initiative, led by DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, finally puts into practice Executive Order (EO) No. 879, s. 2010, which mandates a 20 percent bamboo allocation for school furniture.

From February to March 2026, DepEd will distribute 144,081 learners’ tables and chairs and 3,235 teachers’ desks and chairs, prioritizing the replacement of worn, shared, or unusable furniture that affects daily classroom activities.

“Matagal na ang polisiya na ito. Pero ngayon, binibigyang-buhay natin ito (This policy has long existed. But now, we are bringing it to life),” DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement issued Monday, January 19.

“For the first time in history, maipapatupad natin itong mandatory 20 percent bamboo allocation sa school furniture (we will implement the mandatory 20% bamboo allocation in school furniture),” he added.

DepEd said the rollout aligns with the government’s sustainability and local industry agenda under President Marcos, using climate-resilient, engineered bamboo for furniture production.

“Sa DepEd, gusto nating ipakita na puwedeng maging matibay, sustainable, at kalidad ang school furniture para sa kapakanan ng ating mga learners at teachers (At DepEd, we want to show that school furniture can be durable, sustainable, and of high quality for the benefit of our learners and teachers),” Angara said.

“Magandang paraan din ito para ma-promote natin ang Tatak Pinoy na isinulong natin sa Senado noon para kilalanin ang creativity ng kapwa natin Pilipino (This is also a good way to promote Tatak Pinoy, which we previously pushed in the Senate to recognize the creativity of our fellow Filipinos),” he added.

DepEd also highlighted ongoing infrastructure efforts, including the construction of 5,766 classrooms worth P16.19 billion under the For Issuance of Special Allotment Release Order (FISARO) Batch 1.

From this funding, DepEd targets 2,333 Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS) valued at P3.5 billion; 1,333 LCS under the Disaster Preparedness and Response Program (DPRP) worth P2 billion; 800 Last Mile Schools classrooms valued at P3 billion; and 1,300 additional classrooms with approved Programs of Work totaling P3 billion.

DepEd said FISARO Batch 1 also includes P3.69 billion for 24,424 teachers’ desks and chairs and 1,099,111 learners’ tables and chairs to ensure better learning environments nationwide.

Meanwhile, DepEd noted that FISARO Batch 2 allocates P11.35 billion for the completion of 2,067 classrooms, repair of 11,886 classrooms, restoration of 258 Gabaldon heritage school buildings, and P500 million for school health facilities construction and improvement.

“Muli, malinaw ang ating vision ngayong taon. Patuloy nating sosolusyonan ang kakulangan sa pasilidad sa buong bansa (Once again, our vision this year is clear. We will continue to address the shortage of facilities across the country),” Angara said.

“We will continue to provide efficient and faster solutions by maximizing the funding that we received this year—for the sake of our teachers and learners,” he added.