Angara blames DPWH for classroom backlog, says flood control took priority

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Tuesday accused the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of focusing too much on flood control projects, after it was revealed that only 22 out of 1,000 classrooms targeted for this year have been completed.

“Mukhang nawili sila doon sa flood control, sa totoo lang eh. Parang hindi na naging priority ’yung pagtayo ng classroom,” Angara said in an ambush interview with reporters in Malacañang.

(They seem to have gotten carried away with flood control projects. Building classrooms stopped being a priority.)

The DepEd chief said the sluggish pace of classroom construction underscores the need to reform the current system, where only the DPWH is authorized to implement DepEd-funded school building projects.

Since 2018, Angara said, the DPWH has handled all classroom construction, but the heavy workload and bureaucratic bottlenecks have slowed down delivery. To fix this, he wants to allow local government units (LGUs)—especially provinces, cities, and first-class municipalities—to help build classrooms.

“Gusto na namin baguhin ’yung sistema… Palagay ko, mas bibilis ang proseso. Sa dami na rin ng ginagawa ng DPWH, nahirapan na rin sila,” he said.

(We want to change the system… I think the process will move faster. DPWH is already handling too many projects.) 

Angara said the backlog has reached 900 classrooms under the 2025 Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), while the country faces a nationwide shortage of at least 150,000 classrooms.

Despite the setbacks, Angara expressed confidence in newly appointed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, saying he expects faster implementation under his leadership.

The education secretary also plans to revive public-private partnerships (PPP) to accelerate school construction—a model previously used under former DepEd chief Brother Armin Luistro, which produced 14,000 classrooms in one rollout.

“Doon, imbis na magpapabid ka ng isang building lamang, nagpapabid ka ng isang libong classroom. Sabay-sabay ’yun,” Angara said.

(Instead of bidding out one building at a time, you bid out a thousand classrooms at once.)

Angara said DepEd remains committed to meeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of 40,000 new classrooms before the end of his term, but emphasized that structural changes are needed to make that target realistic.

“Nakakapanghinayang talaga dahil alam natin ’yun ang kailangan ng bayan… Kailangan natin para umunlad ’yung mga kabataan,” he added.

(It’s disheartening because we know that’s what the country needs—for our youth to progress.)

On Tuesday, the education department also issued a strongly worded statement criticizing the DPWH for the “unacceptable” delays in school building projects.

“Hindi katanggap-tanggap na 22 classrooms lang ang nagawa sa ilalim ng nakaraang pamunuan ng DPWH, sa kabila ng pondong ibinigay at tulong mula sa DepEd,” the department said.

“Tama na ang palusot. Kaya ngayong 2026, pondo para sa classrooms ibibigay ng DepEd sa mga LGU, AFP Corps of Engineers, o sa pribadong sektor,” it added.

(It is not acceptable that only 22 classrooms were built by the DPWH under its past leadership, with all the funds and help provided it by the DepEd. Stop the excuses. In 2026, the DepEd will give the funds for classroom construction to the LGUs, the AFP Corps of Engineers, or the private sector.)  — BM, GMA Integrated News