Angara calls for stronger LGU role in building classrooms, fund oversight

Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday called for closer coordination between the national government and local government units in the delivery of classrooms and the oversight of education funds, as the Department of Education prepares to implement large-scale school infrastructure projects next year.

Angara made the remarks during a meeting with the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) coalition, attended by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and other local chief executives.

He said the push for stronger transparency and accountability comes as DepEd prepares to implement a significant portion of its 2026 school building program, which has a Senate-approved allocation of P85.4 billion for the construction and completion of about 24,500 classrooms nationwide.

Angara said LGUs are expected to serve as co-implementers in the program, particularly in facilitating land use, expediting permits, and monitoring project implementation, as the education sector continues to face a classroom backlog of more than 165,000.

“Kung malinaw ang bidding, mabilis ang permitting, at mahigpit ang lokal na monitoring, mas mabilis nating maihahatid ang mga silid-aralan sa mga bata,” Angara said.

(If bidding is clear, permitting is fast, and local monitoring is strict, classrooms can be delivered to students more quickly.)

Under the proposed implementation setup, Angara said LGUs with sufficient capacity may directly undertake classroom construction using national funds. These projects will complement those implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways, public-private partnerships, and other government entities.

Angara also discussed recent changes to the rules governing the use of the Special Education Fund (SEF), which is sourced from the one-percent real property tax, following updated joint guidelines issued by DepEd and other oversight agencies.

Under the revised guidelines, the SEF may be used to support programs such as early childhood education, school feeding, literacy and remediation initiatives, classroom digitalization, and inclusive education, subject to decisions of local school boards and alignment with local data and needs.

He said the department aims to align SEF use with transparent decision-making and data-based planning to ensure that education funding results in improved school facilities and learning conditions.

The meeting formed part of DepEd’s consultations with local governments as it prepares for the implementation of its school infrastructure program.

The Mayors for Good Governance coalition, launched in 2023, is composed of city and municipal mayors who have committed to promoting integrity, transparency, and accountability in local governance. —AOL, GMA Integrated News