Philippines fast-tracks 4,000 new classrooms to tackle national shortage
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a new agreement to speed up classroom construction across the Philippines. The deal, struck with the Department of Education (DepEd) in Bacolod City, targets the country's shortage of 144,758 classrooms. Funds totalling P85.4 billion have been set aside for the project under the 2026 national budget.
The Nationwide Classroom Building Program aims to fast-track the construction, repair, and rehabilitation of schools. The first phase includes P9.6 billion for around 4,000 new classrooms. An additional P5.96 billion will later fund roughly 1,700 more.
In Negros Occidental, 15 municipalities have shown interest by submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI). However, three—Toboso, Moises Padilla, and Candoni—cannot participate yet. They lack the required Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), which is necessary for qualification.
To ensure transparency, the program enforces strict rules. Funds will be released in stages, held in dedicated trust accounts, and tracked through monthly and quarterly reports to DepEd.
The agreement marks a major step in reducing the national classroom deficit. With P85.4 billion allocated, the first tranche will begin construction soon. Participating municipalities must meet governance standards to access the funds.
