DepEd taps LGUs to bridge 165,000 classroom gap; eyes faster, flexible builds

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PASAY CITY, 10 March 2026 — Education Secretary Sonny Angara rallied over 1,300 municipal mayors to address the persistent classroom crisis, unveiling a multi-channel roadmap to bridge the nationwide 165,000-classroom deficit.

Emphasizing that traditional procurement alone is insufficient, Secretary Angara detailed a strategic roadmap designed for faster, more flexible and more transparent school buildings construction.

"We are no longer content with the old system. We are changing the way we deliver to make it faster, more efficient, more effective, and more transparent,” Angara said during the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) General Assembly 2026 on Monday.

"Education is a shared responsibility, and our LGUs are the best-positioned partners to ensure these funds are translated into actual, usable classrooms for our learners.”

The plan includes the delivery of 30,000 classrooms through 2028 through conventional procurement, and 16,000 classrooms in high-congestion areas through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) under the recently approved PPP for School Infrastructure Project Phase III (PSIP III).

To reduce campus congestion, Angara said DepEd is exploring the expansion of vouchers to primary education and piloting a "4+1" blended learning model—four days onsite and one day online.

The Department is also looking to lease or acquire foreclosed private properties for the immediate use of about 1,000 classrooms, and mobilize private sector donations for 2,000 learning spaces.

Angara highlighted that under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, local government units (LGUs) are now empowered as primary implementers for school building projects alongside the Department of Public Works and Highways and the AFP Corps of Engineers, allowing mayors to identify specific sites for repair or new construction.

Angara promoted the use of pre-fabricated Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS), a cost- and time-efficient solution already piloted in Masbate and Davao del Norte, saying 2,571 units are slated for installation across 1,017 municipalities this year.

DepEd also encouraged municipalities to pool Special Education Funds (SEF) to finance large-scale programs like central kitchens for school-based feeding.

“We are not just sharing resources, we are actualizing President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s vision to modernize our classrooms through the kind of innovative funding that ensures no student is left behind by a lack of local budget,” Angara said.

Angara led the ceremonial signing of a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between the DepEd and the LMP to formalize the nationwide classroom building acceleration.

DepEd has previously signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with provincial governors and city mayors to implement the special provisions of the GAA on school buildings construction.

Angara urged mayors to coordinate with provincial governors to tap into these new flexible construction provisions, enabling faster and more efficient delivery of much-needed classrooms. 

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