Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the 2026 national budget will significantly speed up classroom construction to address the persistent shortage of basic education facilities nationwide.
Under the enrolled 2026 budget measure, PHP85 billion has been allocated for the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms.
Of this amount, PHP65.9 billion will fund the construction, replacement, and completion of kindergarten to secondary school buildings, as well as technical-vocational laboratories.
“Hindi lamang tayo naglaan ng mas malaking pondo para sa pagpapatayo ng mga classrooms, tiniyak din nating mapapabilis ito sa pamamagitan ng aktibong pakikilahok ng iba’t ibang sektor,” Gatchalian said.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Gatchalian said the 2026 budget grants the Department of Education greater flexibility in choosing construction modalities, including public-private partnerships.
To allow simultaneous classroom construction nationwide, DepEd may enter into memoranda of agreement with the Department of Public Works and Highways, qualified local government units, civil society and non-government organizations, as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines Corps of Engineers.
DepEd aims to construct 165,000 classrooms to address the existing backlog and accommodate rising student enrollment. The initiative will be carried out in partnership with local governments, the private sector, and the DPWH.
