The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday expressed support for Senator Bam Aquino’s proposal to speed up classroom construction in public schools.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the initiative would help address the nationwide shortage of about 166,000 classrooms.
Angara praised Aquino’s Senate Bill 121, or the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act, describing it as a creative and empowering measure. The proposal would allow local government units and qualified non-government organizations to build classrooms in line with national standards, with funding support still coming from the national government.
“It’s a breath of fresh air, given how the classroom deficit has increased year on year,” Angara said. Aquino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said the bill has advanced at the committee level and could be included in the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
