₱85 Billion to Build 165,000 Missing Classrooms: Marcos Signs DepEd-LGU Pact to Fast-Track School Construction
President Marcos personally witnessed the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education and 149 city governments on Monday, formalizing a massive push to close the Philippines' staggering 165,000-classroom gap. The message was clear: schools can't wait for decades, and kids can't learn in crumbling buildings.
"We cannot wait for decades, years, to give students safe and conducive classrooms for effective learning," Marcos said at the signing ceremony. He directed DepEd to fast-track construction and gave cities a bigger role in the process — from procurement to construction management — while DepEd sets the quality standards.
The numbers are massive: ₱85.39 billion has been allocated for Basic Education Facilities in the 2026 General Appropriations Act. Of that, ₱9.6 billion will fund the first tranche of 4,000 classrooms, with an additional ₱5.96 billion building around 1,700 more classrooms through the newly signed MOA. A similar partnership with provincial governments was already signed earlier this month.
"Let's ensure that projects are not delayed. Let's ensure that the classrooms we build are of high quality. Let's also ensure that every cent that our countrymen have worked hard for is used for the right purpose," Marcos said — a pointed reference to the ghost infrastructure scandals that rocked the DPWH last year.
Beyond buildings, Marcos said his administration is also expanding the ARAL Program, speeding up procurement of learning materials, and improving career paths for teachers. For millions of Filipino students still attending classes in shifts because there aren't enough rooms, the MOA represents a concrete step forward. Whether the government can deliver 165,000 classrooms without the usual delays and corruption — well, yan ang tunay na test.
Source: The Manila Times
