The Department of Education (DepEd) answered the issues on alleged delays and deficiencies on building classrooms and school facilities during an organizational meeting assembled by the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts, and Culture for the 18th Congress.
According to DepEd, the original target of 47,000 classrooms for 2018 was revised to 28,170 due to the increased costing of the modified calamity-resilient school building designs.
As of now, there are 27,469 are ongoing constructions, 16,936 are for mobilization, and 8,749 are under procurement despite the fact that there were only 11 classrooms completed last year. The department’s target this year is 11,826 total number of classrooms.
DepEd said while the project completion has not been reached within the year in certain major items, these are mostly already obligated but completion spills over to the succeeding fiscal year.
Secretary Leonor Briones said “Nonetheless, if we show related information such as ongoing implementation, we may have a fairer picture.”
Issues encountered in the implementation of projects were attributed to procurement delays and lags in contract implementation, including securing the building and occupancy permits which was initially not part of the budget as explained by the said department.
In order to solve the problem, the DepEd and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) the implementing agency of the School Building Program—conducted inter-agency convergence meetings.
Moreover, during the meeting in the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the DPWH agreed to timely submit financial and physical accomplishment reports to DepEd.
