Education stakeholders back DepEd–LGU partnership to scale up classroom building program

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 







MANILA, 12 February 2026 — Governors and teachers have expressed strong support for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) expanded partnership with local government units (LGUs) to fast-track classroom construction, following the allocation of Php9.6 billion for the first tranche of the classroom building program under the 2026 national budget.


“Mga kababayan, naniniwala ako na kapag nagtutulungan ang pambansang pamahalaan at ang lokal na pamahalaan, mas malinaw, mas mabilis, at mas ramdam ng mamamayan ang resulta, lalong-lalo na sa edukasyon,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said during the historic partnership signing in Malacañang on Wednesday.

“And that is why, I have pledged that for the remainder of this Administration, we will prioritize – first priority will be education,” he stressed.


Of the Php9.6 billion programmed for the first tranche, Php4.1 billion has been earmarked for provincial governments for the construction of about 1,200 classrooms. DepEd will also procure around 2,800 prefabricated classrooms worth over Php5 billion. This is part of the first phase of the program, which will deliver 4,000 new classrooms nationwide to help improve daily learning and teaching conditions, according to the President.


Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the move institutionalizes a long-standing plan to tap the capacity of LGUs in delivering school infrastructure, with the support of Congress.


“Mr. President, ito talaga ’yong matagal ninyo nang pina-plano at sinasabi na dapat gawin natin. Being a former governor yourself, alam ninyo ang kapasidad ng ating mga local chief executives,” Angara said. “Kasama na po natin, kasangga na po natin ang ating mga provincial governors on this historic day.”

Quirino Gov. Dax Cua, national president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), described the initiative as “isang mahalagang hakbang tungo sa mas pinatatag at mas maayos na edukasyon para sa ating mga kabataan.”


South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo “Jun” Tamayo Jr., president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), affirmed the LGUs’ unified commitment to the program.



“When national and local governments work together, real progress happens—especially for our learners,” Tamayo wrote in his post.


Teachers on the ground also welcomed the development, saying improved facilities would directly benefit learners and educators.


“Napakahalaga po ng isang maayos at conducive na learning environment sa pagkatuto ng mga bata. Dito sa Bicol, lubos po ang aming pasasalamat sa patuloy na pagsisikap ng pamahalaan, sa pangunguna ni Secretary Sonny Angara, na maghanap ng mga solusyon upang matugunan ang classroom shortage sa bansa,” Teacher Marlet D. Bongat of Tabaco, Albay said.


Teacher Kisyzl N. Uy of South Cotabato noted that inadequate facilities directly affect both teaching and learning.


“Mahirap po sa mga bata at mga guro ang kulang na pasilidad. Maapektuhan talaga ang pagtuturo at pagkatuto nila. Kaya magandang balita po para sa amin na may mga bagong paraan sa pagtatayo ng classroom na isinusulong ni Secretary Angara,” Teacher Kisyzl said.


The strengthened collaboration of DepEd and LGUs aims to maximize resources, shorten construction timelines, and ensure that more students gain access to safe and adequate classrooms nationwide.

DepEd hails PBBM for prioritizing classroom building, anti-child abuse bills

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 







MANILA, 11 February 2026 — The Department of Education (Department of Education) on Tuesday welcomed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s decision to prioritize key education and child welfare and protection measures, including bills on classroom construction, anti-online sexual abuse of children, and expanded education assistance.



The measures were among the 21 priority bills approved during the third Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) full meeting of the 20th Congress held at Malacañan Palace. Lawmakers are targeting their passage by June.



Among the priority measures identified were the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act; proposed amendments to the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act; and amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino and Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Acts.



Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the administration’s legislative priorities reflect a comprehensive approach to improving access to education while strengthening the protection of learners.

“Malinaw ang direksyon ng Pangulo na palawakin ang access sa dekalidad na edukasyon at tiyaking ligtas ang ating mga bata, sa loob man ng silid-aralan o sa digital na mundo,” Angara said.



Under the proposed CAP Act, a Classroom-Building Acceleration Program will be established under DepEd, authorizing qualified local government units and civil society organizations to propose and implement classroom construction projects in public basic education schools using national government funds, without prejudice to other modalities that DepEd may adopt to address the classroom backlog.



Even ahead of the proposed CAP Act, Sec. Angara has already prioritized the expansion of the school building program, with the flexibility provisions under the 2026 General Appropriations Act serving as the Marcos administration’s response to the country’s classroom backlog.



Most notably, DepEd has recently partnered with all the 82 provinces in support of classroom construction efforts, which will be reinforced and institutionalized once the CAP Act is enacted.



Meanwhile, Angara shared that the proposed amendments to the OSAEC and CSAEM law aim to respond to emerging threats such as the use of artificial intelligence and deepfake technologies, sexual extortion, and other online abuses, while strengthening coordination with internet platforms, payment service providers, and law enforcement agencies.

Angara said the proposed legislative changes align with ongoing DepEd initiatives aimed at preventing and responding to abuse, violence, and exploitation of learners, including the institutionalization of Learner Rights and Protection Desks in schools, the operation of the Learners TeleSafe Contact Center Helpline for reporting abuse, and the rollout of capacity-building programs that have trained hundreds of learner rights and protection specialists nationwide.



The Education chief said the priority bills complement ongoing initiatives of the Department, including accelerated classroom construction, the strengthening of learner rights and protection mechanisms in schools, and nationwide awareness campaigns on online safety.



The LEDAC brings together leaders of the executive, led by President Marcos, and legislative branches, led by Senate President Tito Sotto and House Speaker Bojie Dy III, to align priority measures and fast-track critical legislation.

PBBM leads signing of DepEd–LGU historic MOA to fast-track classroom construction

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 




MALACAÑANG, MANILA, 11 February 2026 — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM) on Wednesday received the signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Department of Education (DepEd) and local government units, backed by representatives from more than 90 percent of provinces nationwide, aimed at accelerating classroom construction and addressing the country’s persistent shortage of learning spaces.



“By giving LGUs greater role in the implementation, we streamline the process, we reduce delays, and we move faster in building schools that our children need,” President Marcos said.



Education Secretary Sonny Angara and provincial leaders inked the historic agreement at Malacañang, formalizing a nationwide framework that clearly delineates the roles of DepEd and LGUs in delivering school infrastructure and marking a decisive shift toward coordinated action in addressing the classroom backlog.






“These signatures mark the end of working in silos. They mark the beginning of shared responsibility,” Angara said. “Ang kasunduang ito ang malinaw naming pangako na wala nang classroom na maaantala dahil sa pag-aalinlangan, at wala nang edukasyong mapuputol dahil sa kakulangan ng ugnayan.”




The governors who signed the agreement represented key local government leagues, including the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), led by Quirino Province Gov. Dax Cua, and the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), headed by South Cotabato Gov. Jun Tamayo.



Under the MOA, LGUs are tasked to lead the construction, replacement, rehabilitation, and improvement of classrooms within their jurisdictions, including the conduct of procurement, supervision of contractors, and day-to-day project implementation, in accordance with national procurement and building regulations

.

DepEd, for its part, will identify priority schools, provide standard classroom designs and technical specifications, and exercise oversight by reviewing plans, validating completed works, and ensuring that projects meet national safety, accessibility, and quality standards.



The agreement also sets out shared responsibilities in funding and long-term maintenance, with strict monitoring, reporting, and transparency requirements to ensure the timely completion of projects and proper use of public funds.




Angara stressed that the partnership complements existing national school building programs and allows faster delivery by aligning national standards with local implementation capacity.



Provincial leaders who signed the MOA welcomed the clearer division of roles, saying it would reduce delays caused by coordination gaps and overlapping mandates.





The agreement mandates regular submission of financial and physical accomplishment reports, key performance indicators, and public disclosure measures to strengthen accountability throughout project implementation.




Angara said the DepEd–LGU partnership reflects a shared commitment to provide accessible, conducive, and quality learning environments for Filipino learners nationwide, in line with the President’s directive to make education a top governance priority.