Public schools to receive bamboo-made desks as Angara puts 15-year old industry policy into practice

 

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MAKATI CITY, 19 January 2026 — Under the leadership of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the Department of Education (DepEd) will begin rolling out bamboo-made school furniture to public school learners and teachers in selected schools starting February, putting into practice Executive Order (EO) No. 879, s. 2010, which mandates a 20 percent bamboo allocation for school furniture.  

From February to March 2026, DepEd will distribute 144,081 sets of learners’ tables and chairs and 3,235 sets for teachers, focusing on the replacement of worn, shared, or unusable furniture that affects daily classroom activities.

In carrying out this distribution, DepEd is also applying a long-standing government requirement that at least 20 percent of school furniture be made from bamboo, a policy issued in 2010 and now reflected in actual procurement and delivery through climate-resilient, engineered bamboo under the leadership of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, consistent with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s agenda on sustainability and local industries.

 "Matagal na ang itong polisiya. Pero, ngayon ay binibigyang-buhay natin ito. For the first-time in history, maipapatupad natin itong mandatory 20% bamboo allocation sa school furniture," said Secretary Angara.  

"Sa DepEd, gusto nating ipakita na puwedeng maging matibay, sustainable, at kalidad ang school furniture para sa kapakanan ng ating mga learners at teachers. Magandang paraan din ito para ma-promote natin ang Tatak Pinoy na isinulong natin sa Senado noon para kilalanin ang creativity ng kapwa natin Pilipino,” he added.

Apart from that, the Department also noted that the construction of around 5,766 classrooms is currently underway, amounting to Php 16.19 billion, under the For Issuance of Special Allotment Release Order (FISARO) Batch 1.  

Out of the said funding, DepEd underscored that the agency targets the construction of 2,333 Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS) worth Php 3.5 billion under the new construction funding, along with another 1,333 LCS amounting to Php 2 billion under the Disaster Preparedness and Response Program (DPRP).

Secretary Angara also said that the agency is aiming to construct 800 Last Mile Schools classrooms, amounting to Php 3 billion, as well as another 1,300 classrooms with approved Program of Works amounting to Php 3 billion. Under FISARO Batch 1, the agency also allotted Php 3.69 billion for 24,424 teachers’ tables and chairs and 1,099,111 learners’ tables and chairs, ensuring better learning environments nationwide.

Meanwhile, under FISARO Batch 2, DepEd has allotted Php 11.35 billion for the completion of 2,067 classrooms, the repair of 11,886 classrooms, and the restoration of 258 Gabaldon facilities. The Department has also funded the construction and improvement of School Health Facilities, amounting to Php 500 million.

“Muli, malinaw ang ating vision ngayong taon. Patuloy nating sosolusyonan ang kakulangan sa pasilidad natin sa buong bansa. We will continue to provide efficient and faster solutions by maximizing the funding that we got this year—for the sake of our teachers and learners,” Sec. Angara said.

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