THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said its goal to complete 5,000 classrooms nationwide before the end of the year is on track.
The initiative is in conjunction with aggressive flood mitigation operations in Metro Manila, in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to improve education infrastructure and strengthen the country’s resilience against flooding.
The classroom construction program forms part of the government’s effort to eliminate the backlog of school buildings to provide students with safer and more conducive learning environments.
Marcos earlier instructed the DPWH to accelerate the completion of pending classroom projects and ensure that no backlog remains.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon assured lawmakers that the DPWH is working closely with the Department of Education to fast-track the remaining projects and ensure all targeted classrooms are completed before year-end.
“As of July 15, we’ve completed the civil works for 2,100 classrooms, while construction is ongoing for another 2,900 classrooms, bringing the total to 5,000 classrooms that will be completed from projects funded under the Basic Education Facilities Fund from 2025 and previous years,” Public Works Undersecretary Lara Marisse Esquibil told the Senate Committee on Basic Education on Thursday.
On flood control initiatives, the DPWH reported that despite persistent rains on Thursday evening, the northbound stretch of G. Araneta Avenue — from E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue to Kaliraya Street — remained passable.
The DPWH called on the public to dispose of waste properly to prevent garbage from clogging drainage systems and waterways, which remains the leading cause of flooding in urban areas.
