DepEd to roll out bamboo-made desks, enforces long-delayed green policy

Public school classrooms will begin receiving bamboo-made desks and chairs starting February as the Department of Education finally puts into practice a 15-year-old government policy mandating the use of bamboo in school furniture procurement.

DepEd will distribute 144,081 sets of learners’ tables and chairs and 3,235 sets for teachers from February to March 2026, prioritizing schools with worn-out, shared, or unusable furniture that disrupt daily classroom activities.

The rollout operationalizes Executive Order No. 879, series of 2010, which requires that at least 20% of school furniture be made from bamboo—a provision that has remained largely unimplemented for more than a decade.

“This policy has been around for a long time—almost 16 years. But now, we are finally giving it life. For the first time in history, we are able to implement the mandatory 20% bamboo allocation for school furniture,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

DepEd said the bamboo furniture will be made from engineered bamboo, which is designed to be durable, climate-resilient, and suitable for long-term classroom use. The initiative aligns with the sustainability agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. while supporting local industries and Filipino craftsmanship.

“At DepEd, we want to show that school furniture can be durable, sustainable, and high quality—for the benefit of our learners and teachers. This is also a good way to promote Filipino-made products and creativity,” Angara said.

Classroom construction underway

Alongside the furniture rollout, DepEd reported that 5,766 classrooms worth P16.19 billion are currently under construction under the For Issuance of Special Allotment Release Order (FISARO) Batch 1.

Of this amount, DepEd is targeting the construction of 2,333 Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS) valued at P3.5 billion, and another 1,333 LCS worth P2 billion under the Disaster Preparedness and Response Program (DPRP).

DepEd is also set to build 800 classrooms for Last Mile Schools amounting to P3 billion, in addition to 1,300 classrooms with approved Programs of Works, also valued at P3 billion.

Under FISARO Batch 1, the agency allocated P3.69 billion for 24,424 teachers’ tables and chairs and 1,099,111 learners’ tables and chairs, part of efforts to address long-standing shortages in school facilities nationwide.

Meanwhile, FISARO Batch 2 provides P11.35 billion for the completion of 2,067 classrooms, the repair of 11,886 classrooms, and the restoration of 258 Gabaldon school buildings. An additional P500 million has been earmarked for the construction and improvement of School Health Facilities.

“Our vision this year is clear. We will continue to address facility shortages across the country. We will provide faster and more efficient solutions by maximizing the funds we have—for the sake of our teachers and learners,” Angara said.—Sherylin Untalan/AOL, GMA Integrated News