MORE than 200 local chief executives gathered in San Juan City on Wednesday to coordinate the construction of classrooms as Congress opens multiple channels for local governments to address the country’s widening classroom shortage.
The Mayor’s Dialogue on Accelerating Classroom-Building in Cities and Municipalities, hosted by San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, brought together mayors with Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Sen. Bam Aquino to discuss implementation strategies, funding mechanisms, and technical requirements for classroom construction nationwide.
Zamora emphasized the benefits of LGU-led projects, noting that local governments can act more quickly and closely monitor the quality of construction.
“If each LGU builds on its own, we can finish faster and monitor projects better,” he said, urging mayors to work collectively to maximize the new funding mechanism.
Senator Aquino said the country faces a classroom backlog of roughly 166,000, which could rise to 230,000 by 2028 if construction does not keep pace with student enrollment.
Congress has allocated P66 billion in the 2026 national budget for classroom construction, targeting 25,000 to 30,000 classrooms in a single year through parallel implementation by local governments, national agencies, and private partners.
Angara said DepEd will empower local governments to lead implementation while providing technical guidance, inspection and oversight.
“When the LGU leads the implementation, we can reach the schools that need it the most much faster,” Angara said.
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DepEd outlined clear eligibility requirements for LGUs participating in the program.
Local governments must submit a letter of intent confirming their commitment to implement classroom projects, secure authority from the Sangguniang Bayan, Panlungsod, or Panlalawigan to enter into a memorandum of agreement with DepEd, and provide proof of site ownership or rights to use the school site, such as a deed, tax declaration, or deed of usufruct.
LGUs must also demonstrate a functioning financial management system through certifications like the Certificate of Good Financial Housekeeping or the Seal of Good Local Governance, and show prior experience in completing similar infrastructure projects within the last five to ten years.
Angara said these requirements are designed to ensure readiness at the local level and maintain quality standards while expediting construction.
DepEd will identify priority schools and sites, provide standard classroom designs, review plans and variation orders, conduct inspections, and release funds in tranches.
Upon completion, buildings will become DepEd assets, with joint monitoring and auditing to ensure transparency and quality.
Angara highlighted the range of options available to LGUs depending on local needs, including new classrooms, last-mile schools for geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, repair and rehabilitation of existing classrooms, leasing of idle or unused buildings, public-private partnerships, and the establishment of learning continuity spaces for disaster-affected communities.
“The mayors know which schools are most congested, which classrooms are unsafe, and where construction is most urgent,” Angara said.
“We will work closely with them to ensure projects are implemented on time, on target, and within standards,” he added.