Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Some House lawmakers questioned the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to utilize public-private partnerships (PPP) to help address classroom backlog, saying the agency should simply improve coordination with local government units (LGUs) and ensure Schools Division Offices (SDO) are more “proactive.”According to DepEd Usec. Wilfredo Cabral, 105,000 classrooms will be built from 2026 to 2028 through PPPs.Bataan 1st District Rep. Antonino Roman III raised concerns on the possibility of the PPP Center getting “overwhelmed” from the projects, considering the high number of school districts in the country.Roman also asked if there would be enough interest from the private sector.A study by DepEd’s Strategic Management strand showed the PPPs would be good for private contractors, according to  Usec.  Cabral.Cabral added, the backlog would clear up more quickly if there are many key actors in construction.“Base po doon sa resulta ng ginawang pag-aaral ng Strategic Management strand namin, positibo naman po para doon sa mga private contractors ‘yung PPPs. And so hindi lang po PPP kung hindi combination of several strategies and under the sinasabi namin na flexibility and even nga ‘yung mga LGUs… kung sino ‘yung may expertise ay mabigyan ng prayoridad,” Cabral said.“If there are so many key actors in the implementation of construction, tinitingnan namin ang possibility na mas bumilis ang pag-address natin ng ating backlog,” Cabral added.Cabral added that there are other funding mechanisms for classroom construction.DepEd is looking at the Basic Education Facilities Fund as a major fund source, according to Cabral.Instead of PPPs, some House lawmakers believe tapping further into local government units (LGU) would be a more viable option.Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste asked DepEd why LGUs are not part of the implementation of projects for classroom building, especially as this would guarantee more funding.According to DepEd Usec. Filemon Javier, a limitation on the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) says only the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) could implement classroom construction.But LGUs may soon be able to assist them now that they have proposed some flexibility in a special provision.“The limitation currently is based on the GAA. Under this year’s GAA provision, only the DPWH can implement the construction of classroom. But now, Mr. Chair, Congressman Leviste, DepEd has proposed some flexibility. We have placed in the specific provision that also the local government could assist us in the construction of the classroom,” DepEd Usec. Filemon Javier said.Javier added, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara is pushing for flexibility to be able to build classrooms, and part of this is Romulo’s recommendation to allow LGUs with higher funding to use their Special Education Fund (SEF) for more classrooms.However, partnerships could be used for LGUs that lack finances.The DepEd added that one of the bills it will push for is towards the amendment of the Special Education Fund (SEF) for classroom construction.Agusan del Norte Rep. Dale Corvera filed a bill to authorize LGUs to become the implementing agencies of school building projects, presently under the DPWH with the goal of speeding up construction.For Valenzuela 1st District Rep. Kenneth Gatchalian, the problem does not stop in classroom shortage.“Upon inspection in our city, a lot of the buildings medyo undermaintained na. Kulang nga tayo sa new classrooms, but the old classrooms are not being maintained. And we need to also address this because it adds to the new backlog,” Gatchalian said.House Committee on Basic Education and Culture Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo flagged the need for “very proactive” Schools Division Offices (SDO) to help maintain such classrooms.“‘Pag gumawa ng building ang national o local, government building na ‘yun. So kung may pondo ‘yung local, nagtataka ako bakit ayaw naman nila tumulong mag-maintain? The local government through the SEF or the regular fund should be able to maintain that. But that is why you need a very proactive SDO. Hindi puwedeng timid kasi sayang rin ‘yung pondo… ‘Pag nasira ‘yun, mas mahal pa,” Romulo said.Cabral then assured Romulo he will discuss the matter with the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).Quezon City 6th District Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar also brought up how non-governmental organization (NGO) Angat Buhay was reportedly able to build classrooms at P800,000 each in just three to four months.Co-Pilar said those constructed by the government can take three years.According to the DepEd, a classroom based on normal conditions would cost P2.5 million each.Romulo and Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Nelson Legacion asked the agency to review this amount in case costing could be made lower.DepEd adds, it proposed to increase the salary grade of engineers under the agency to attract more applicants as it presently only has one engineer.

Some House lawmakers questioned the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to utilize public-private partnerships (PPP) to help address classroom backlog, saying the agency should simply improve coordination with local government units (LGUs).

Some House lawmakers questioned the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to utilize public-private partnerships (PPP) to help address classroom backlog, saying the agency should simply improve coordination with local government units (LGUs).

House lawmakers question use of PPPs to fund classroom construction

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House lawmakers question use of PPPs to fund classroom construction

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 18, 2025 06:25 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

DepEd

Department of Education

classroom shortage

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