Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
No longer content with old system, DepEd taps LGUs to bridge 165,000-classroom gap
Philippines
National
No longer content with old system, DepEd taps LGUs to bridge 165,000-classroom gap
No longer content with old system, DepEd taps LGUs to bridge 165,000-classroom gap
Angara pushes faster, flexible school construction
Published Mar 10, 2026 04:19 pm
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara urges local government units to help accelerate classroom construction to address the country’s 165,000-classroom shortage. (Photo from DepEd)
The Department of Education (DepEd) has intensified efforts to address the country’s 165,000-classroom shortage, calling on local government units (LGUs) to take a larger role in accelerating school construction and easing campus congestion.
In a statement issued Tuesday, March 10, the department said that during the 2026 General Assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara presented a multi-channel strategy aimed at fast-tracking classroom construction and improving learning spaces nationwide.
Angara said the government must move beyond traditional procurement systems to resolve the long-standing infrastructure gap affecting public schools.
“We are no longer content with the old system. We are changing the way we deliver to make it faster, more efficient, more effective, and more transparent,” Angara told more than 1,300 municipal mayors gathered at the assembly.
He stressed that education requires close coordination between national and local governments.
“Education is a shared responsibility, and our LGUs are the best-positioned partners to ensure these funds are translated into actual, usable classrooms for our learners,” he said.
DepEd roadmap targets tens of thousands of classrooms
DepEd outlined several strategies to address the classroom deficit in the coming years.
Under the plan, the agency aims to deliver 30,000 classrooms by 2028 through conventional procurement, while 16,000 classrooms in high-congestion areas will be built through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) under the PPP for School Infrastructure Project Phase III (PSIP III).
To help decongest schools, the department is also studying the expansion of education vouchers to primary education and piloting a “4+1” blended learning model, where students attend in-person classes four days a week and learn online for one day.
The initiative is part of DepEd’s broader push to combine infrastructure expansion with alternative learning delivery strategies.
Faster construction through alternative solutions
Beyond traditional construction, DepEd is exploring several immediate solutions to increase classroom capacity.
Among them is the leasing or acquisition of foreclosed private properties that can be converted into learning facilities, which could provide around 1,000 classrooms in the near term.
The department also aims to mobilize private sector donations to build about 2,000 additional learning spaces.
Another major component is the rollout of pre-fabricated Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS)—modular classrooms designed for faster installation and lower costs.
According to Angara, 2,571 LCS units are scheduled for installation this year across 1,017 municipalities. The system has already been piloted in Masbate and Davao del Norte.
LGUs empowered under the 2026 national budget
Angara emphasized that the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) now empowers LGUs to serve as primary implementers of school building projects, alongside the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Corps of Engineers.
This provision allows municipal governments to directly identify and implement school repairs and new classroom construction, potentially speeding up project delivery.
DepEd also encouraged municipalities to pool their Special Education Funds (SEF) to finance large-scale programs such as central kitchens for school-based feeding initiatives.
DepEd, mayors formalize partnership
The push for accelerated classroom construction was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DepEd and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines during the event.
The agreement complements a previously signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DepEd and provincial governors and city mayors to implement special provisions of the national budget on school infrastructure.
Angara urged municipal leaders to work closely with provincial governments to maximize the new flexible construction policies.
“We are not just sharing resources—we are actualizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision to modernize our classrooms through innovative funding that ensures no student is left behind because of a lack of local budget,” Angara said.