The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday, February 5, highlighted a new decentralized strategy to address the country’s growing classroom shortage by empowering local government units (LGUs) to directly oversee school construction projects.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, in an interview over DZRH, said the Philippines is currently facing a backlog of around 165,000 classrooms nationwide.

He noted that this backlog has contributed to overcrowded schools, shifting schedules, and strained learning environments—particularly in highly urbanized and fast-growing areas.

To accelerate construction and reduce delays, DepEd will now download funds directly to provincial, city, and municipal governments. This, Angara explained, will allow LGUs to conduct their own procurement processes, manage bidding, and implement projects more efficiently, rather than relying solely on national agencies.

Angara emphasized that this approach aligns with President Marcos’ directive that classroom construction should not be handled by just one or two agencies.

“Marami lumalapit ngayon dahil ang gusto nga ni Presidente hindi na isa o dalawang ahensya lang ang gumagawa ng mga classroom (Many are approaching us now because the President wants that it’s no longer just one or two agencies building classrooms),” Angara said.

Under the new approach, Angara noted that local governments—being closer to communities and aware of school needs—are expected to respond more quickly to infrastructure gaps. He added that this will significantly shorten construction timelines and improve monitoring of projects on the ground.

According to DepEd, congestion remains most severe in rapidly urbanizing provinces and metropolitan areas, where student populations continue to rise faster than new school facilities can be built.

Angara said a whole-of-government approach is needed to address the backlog. By involving LGUs directly, DepEd can fast-track the delivery of classrooms where they are needed most.

“Sabay-sabay ibigay na lang ‘yong pondo sa ibang local government units, mga probinsya, mga cities, mga mayors na kayang ipa-bid din 'yong mga proyekto sa kanilang mga lugar para mas mabilis ‘yong magiging construction (Instead, the funds will be given simultaneously to other local government units—provinces, cities, mayors—who can also bid out these projects in their areas so that construction will be faster),” he added.

By shifting to a more decentralized construction model, DepEd hopes to significantly reduce the classroom backlog over the coming years—ultimately improving learning conditions and ensuring students have access to safe, adequate, and conducive school facilities.

The classroom deficit has been a persistent challenge in the Philippine education system, worsened by population growth, rising school enrollment, and delays in infrastructure programs.

In many public schools, students attend classes in makeshift rooms or tents, or operate on double- or triple-shift schedules to accommodate large numbers of learners.

Earlier, Angara warned that without major reforms and accelerated construction efforts, congestion could worsen in the coming decades.

He explained that this move also aligns with the government’s broader push for system-wide education reforms anchored on recommendations from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which highlighted the urgent need to address infrastructure gaps, teacher shortages, and resource inefficiencies.

Angara said DepEd has been working to streamline programs, improve planning, and strengthen coordination with other government agencies and local officials to enhance the overall quality of basic education.