Marcos to LGUs: Ensure prompt classroom construction

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday tasked local chief executives to ensure that classroom construction projects proceed without delays and that public funds are used responsibly.

Marcos issued the directive during the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education (DepEd) and participating cities for the nationwide classroom building program, where local government units (LGUs) will take a lead role in project implementation.

“Parati kong sinasabi na ang edukasyon ang pundasyon ng maunlad at matatag na bansa. Subalit ang pundasyong ito ay hindi kayang itayo ng isang sektor lamang," he said in his speech.

(I always say that education is the foundation of a progressive and stable country. This foundation, however, can't be built with just one sector).

The transfer of classroom construction duties from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the DepEd was aimed at accelerating the delivery of school buildings and ensuring that projects respond more directly to the needs of students and teachers.

Previously, classroom construction formed part of DPWH’s nationwide infrastructure program, but the arrangement faced criticism due to delays, coordination challenges, and instances where completed buildings did not match the priorities identified by schools, such as location, capacity, and specialized requirements.

Under the revised setup, DepEd now takes the lead in identifying priority areas based on classroom shortages, enrollment data, and on-the-ground conditions, while local government units handle implementation.

"Kaya’t sa ating mga lokal na pamahalaan, hinihikayat ko kayo na gamitin ang pagkakataong ito at ang pondong ipinagkatiwala sa atin ng bayan nang mas may pananagutan,” Marcos added.

(To our local government units, I encourage you to use this opportunity and funds entrusted to you with accountability.)

Marcos Jr. urged the local executives to ensure timely implementation, construction quality, and accountability in the use of public funds.

“Tiyakin natin hindi maaantala ang mga proyekto. Tiyakin natin de-kalidad ang ating maitatayo na silid-aralan. Tiyakin din natin na ang bawat sentimo na pinaghirapan ng ating mga kababayan ay gagamitin sa tama,” he added.

(Let’s ensure that projects won’t be delayed. Let’s guarantee the construction of quality classrooms. Let’s ensure every cent is used properly.)

Marcos said that as of January 2026, the country still faces a shortage of more than 144,758 classrooms.

“We cannot wait for decades, years, to give every student a safe and conducive classroom for effective learning,” the President said.

“The event today reinforces what we formalized more than a week ago. We are shifting from centralized implementation of classroom construction to faster, and more responsive execution on the ground,” he added.

Under the program, LGUs are tasked to undertake the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of classrooms within their jurisdictions, including procurement and on-site implementation, in accordance with national standards.

DepEd, meanwhile, will identify priority schools, issue standard classroom designs and technical specifications, and oversee implementation through plan reviews, validation of completed works, and compliance checks on safety, accessibility, and quality standards.—MCG, GMA Integrated News