Education Secretary Sonny Angara has reiterated the Department of Education’s (DepEd) commitment to equity in infrastructure, emphasizing that classroom allocations must be responsive to school needs and directed toward areas facing the most severe shortages.
Secretary Angara highlighted that DepEd is embedding data-driven criteria into its construction strategy, while acknowledging a report from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) on gaps in allocations for local government units (LGUs) with the highest estimated shortages based on initial 2026 allocations.
Under DepEd Memorandum No. 038, s. 2026, the Department’s classroom needs assessment and validated school-site priorities serve as the basis for identifying projects for implementation, including through strategic partnerships with qualified LGUs.
“We share the same mission with EDCOM. Through strategic partnerships with qualified LGUs, we ensure that resources go directly to where our schools and learners need them most,” Angara said.
“Ang alokasyon natin para sa mga silid-aralan ay dapat direktang tumutugon sa mga eskwelahang pinakamatindi ang pangangailangan. Kailangan nakabase sa tunay na datos ang ating mga desisyon para bawat pisong inilalaan natin, tunay na nararamdaman sa ating mga paaralan.”
Under the current LGU-led classroom construction initiative, allocations cover 439 LGUs, 1,955 schools, and 8,777 classrooms nationwide.
Acknowledging EDCOM 2’s commendation of the agency’s extraordinary efforts in mobilizing diverse routes for classroom construction, DepEd stressed that allocation decisions will continue to weigh the severity of shortages, site readiness, project feasibility, and implementation timelines.
However, despite the urgency, there is currently no available buildable space for regular or prefab classrooms because existing unsafe buildings must first be demolished. DepEd is not merely prioritizing based on need. It is sequencing implementation based on what can actually be built immediately while simultaneously preparing more complex sites for future construction.
It is for these reasons that DepEd has been exploring other avenues and implementation modalities beyond conventional classroom construction.
To accelerate infrastructure delivery, DepEd is deploying a multi-pronged strategy that integrates Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-led construction, LGU partnerships, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), DepEd Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS), and collaborative initiatives with both government and private sector organizations.
Under the current LGU-led classroom construction initiative, allocations cover 439 LGUs, 1,955 schools, and 8,777 classrooms nationwide.
This infrastructure rollout spans 81 provincial LGUs accounting for 4,043 classrooms across 1,022 schools, 127 city LGUs covering 3,123 classrooms across 468 schools, and 231 municipal LGUs encompassing 1,611 classrooms across 465 schools.
Complementing these efforts, DepEd’s tripartite agreements with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and 48 LGUs so far have secured 576 classrooms for construction in priority communities.
To strengthen transparency and accountability, DepEd maintains oversight through regular physical and financial progress reporting, technical validation, and monitoring protocols across division, regional, and central office levels.
“To truly deliver for our learners, we need a transparent and evidence-based approach. It is the only way to ensure that available resources are directly translated into classrooms where they are needed the most,” Angara emphasized.
