DepEd seeks to take over classroom construction from DPWH

The Department of Education said Tuesday that only 22 classrooms have been completed so far under the 2025 Basic Education Facilities Fund, prompting calls to move control of classroom construction away from the Department of Public Works and Highways and to expand who can implement projects beginning in 2026. The shortfall was disclosed during budget hearings when Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon told the Senate that DPWH had completed just 22 of the 1,700 classrooms targeted for the year.

DepEd officials blamed implementation bottlenecks at DPWH, citing a heavy workload, delayed validation and cost submissions, and recent leadership changes as causes of the slow pace. DPWH acknowledged the shortfall and said it would investigate the delays and seek ways to speed construction. Senator Bam Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said he was dismayed by the figure and warned that, at the current rate, the country’s classroom backlog could rise further by 2028.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara and DepEd have proposed returning authority over classroom construction funds to DepEd in 2026 and allowing other implementers to access those funds. The department is...