The Department of Education (DepEd) will sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units (LGUs) to address the classroom backlog in the country, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
The signing of the MOA is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide direct funding to LGUs for the construction of classrooms in the country, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
“Nakatakdang magkaroon ng memorandum of agreement ang DPWH, DepEd at local government units upang mapatupad ito (A memorandum of agreement is set to be signed by the DPWH, DepEd, and local government units to implement this),” Castro said.
“Ang nais ng Pangulo, ang kakulangan sa classrooms ay dapat na mapunan sa lalong madaling panahon para sa kabutihan ng mga mag-aaral. Hindi puwede ang mabagal kumilos, iyan ang direktiba ng Pangulo (The President wants the classroom shortage to be addressed as soon as possible for the benefit of the students. Delays in action are not acceptable – that is the President’s directive).”
Castro did not indicate when the MOA is expected to be signed.
She said Marcos wants the swift construction and improvement of classrooms, after the DepEd lamented that only 22 out of the 1,700 classrooms targeted for completion this year have so far been finished by the DPWH.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara on Tuesday raised concern over the delays caused by the DPWH’s sole implementation of all DepEd-funded projects since 2018.
Castro noted that under the MOA, the funds will be entrusted to the LGUs, while the implementation and classroom construction will be monitored by the DPWH and DepEd.
She said that approximately 2,370 classrooms will be constructed through the partnership between DepEd, DPWH, and LGUs.
Castro said the target is to complete about 2,000 classrooms by the third quarter of 2026.
“Naniniwala si Pangulong Marcos Jr. na ang pagkakaroon ng maayos at sustainable na mga classrooms sa bansa ay magsisilbing pundasyon ng karunungan, kaalaman, at galing ng mga kabataang Pilipino na siyang isinusulong sa ilalim ng Bagong Pilipinas (President Marcos Jr. believes that having proper and sustainable classrooms in the country will serve as the foundation of knowledge, learning, and excellence for Filipino youth – a vision being advanced under the New Philippines),” she said. (PNA)
