MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) will start the construction of around 24,000 classrooms this year, but how many of these will be built by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)?

Since 1995, the DPWH has had the sole authority to construct classrooms, in accordance with Republic Act 7880 or the Fair and Equitable Access to Education Act. Funding for school buildings was “directly released to and administered” by the agency. The DepEd said designating DPWH as the implementer is meant to “depoliticize and ensure equitable allocation of school building funds.”

However, the DPWH has been at the center of a corruption scandal that was exposed last year following the discovery or “ghost” or non-existent and substandard infrastructure projects such as classrooms and those for flood control.

Of the 1,700 classrooms projected to be built in 2025, only 22 were completed and about 800 were still in construction as of October last year.

Lawmakers also questioned the supposed overpriced classroom construction costs which range from P2.8 million to P3.5 million.

Amid the controversy, classroom construction will no longer be limited to the DPWH.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara explained that under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, the DepEd, local government units (LGU), and even civil society organizations with a proven record in construction will be allowed to build classrooms.

Only a quarter of the projected 24,000 classrooms will be constructed under the DPWH, Angara said.

“Ang plano dito (The plan here) is about — at the most 25% [of the classrooms] will be DPWH-based. So, you’re talking about maybe 6,000 [classrooms],” he said at a Palace briefing on Tuesday, January 6.

Angara, however, noted that DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon wants to be “conservative” with the figure.

“They’re looking at 2,000 classrooms. So, we have to really settle that with Sec. Vince and DPWH, ilan talaga ‘yung kaya nilang i-construct (how many can they construct) of the 24,000 [classrooms]?” the education chief said.

The majority of the classrooms, meanwhile, will be built or bid out by local government units.

“Gustong-gusto nila (LGUs) na i-take on. They want as much of the construction to be downloaded to them. Hopefully, mabigay ng DBM (Department of Budget and Management) kaagad ‘yung pera para ma-download namin sa local governments,” he said.

(LGUs are eager to take on the classroom construction. They want as much of the construction to be downloaded to them. Hopefully, the DBM immediately releases the budget so we could download it to local governments.)

For 2026, the budget of DepEd and its attached agencies is P1.015 trillion. Of this amount, P65 billion will be used for the construction of new classrooms.

“We don’t expect all of those 24,000 [classrooms] to be constructed in 365 days kasi (because) historically, hindi talaga nangyayari ‘yun (that does not happen). At the very least, mauumpisahan ‘yan (construction of the classrooms will start),” he said, adding that, at times, part of the budget is disbursed in the latter part of the year.

As of 2025, the Philippines has a shortage of some 165,000 classrooms. – Rappler.com