Camille Naredo

Teachers and parents at Bagong Silangan Elementery School in Quezon City clean classroom, paints arm chairs and prepare the classroom on Sunday, July 28, 2024, a day before the first day of School Year 2024-2025 tomorrow July Maria Tan ABS-CBN News/File

Despite being affected by super typhoon Carina and Habagat, teachers and parents at Bagong Silangan Elementery School in Quezon City clean classroom, paints arm chairs and prepare the classroom on Sunday, July 28, 2024, a day before the first day of School Year 2024-2025 tomorrow July 29. DepEd said that over 1,000 chools in Metro Manila, Ilocos region, Central Luzon and Soccsksargen region have opted to postpone the opening of classes. Maria Tan ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

DEPED

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175691607275920240728-school preparation-MT-5 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Teachers and parents at Bagong Silangan Elementery School in Quezon City clean classroom, paints arm chairs and prepare the classroom on Sunday, July 28, 2024, a day before the first day of School Year 2024-2025 tomorrow July Maria Tan ABS-CBN News/File"/>Teachers and parents at Bagong Silangan Elementery School in Quezon City clean classroom, paints arm chairs and prepare the classroom on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Maria Tan ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) seeks to include local government units to construct classrooms, to fast-track its creation and address its shortages.In a statement on Wednesday, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said they are studying the proposal to do so.“Delays in construction mean children wait longer than they should. That is why we are looking for ways to build faster and smarter, with partners who are closest to the ground,” said Angara.This will also mean that DepEd is veering away from its “long-standing practice of relying almost exclusively” with the embattled Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for classroom creation, according to the agency.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/29/house-members-can-only-request-not-demand-funding-for-school-buildings-says-lawmaker-1949">READ: House members can only request, not demand funding for school buildings, says lawmaker</a></div>“Currently, most school building projects are channeled through DPWH, a process that has faced challenges in speed and efficiency,” the statement read.“DPWH’s involvement will remain an option where needed, allowing for a more flexible approach that combines national oversight with local initiative,” it added.The agency, however, admitted that local government units are not the same in terms of capacity, since some have better technical expertise and financial resources to implement projects than the others.This is why DepEd said some mechanisms are being considered, including an accreditation mechanism.This seeks to “match responsibilities with readiness, as well as possible support windows for low-income LGUs through technical assistance, co-financing, or clustering.”“To create more options, DepEd is seeking flexibility in the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), subject to Congress’ approval, so that LGUs and other partners may be engaged more directly in building classrooms,” it added.DepEd said Angara has so far secured over P458 million in private sector commitments for classroom construction, which would help create 84 new classrooms and upgrade some facilities.The DepEd has said public-private partnerships (PPP) are among the ways it plans to address the 165,000 classroom backlog nationwide.

The Department of Education (DepEd) seeks to include local government units to construct classrooms, to fast-track its creation and address its shortages.

The Department of Education (DepEd) seeks to include local government units to construct classrooms, to fast-track its creation and address its shortages.

DepEd seeks LGU help in building classrooms, may veer away from DPWH

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DepEd seeks LGU help in building classrooms, may veer away from DPWH

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 04, 2025 12:16 AM PHT

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Department of Education

local government units

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