The Senate Committee on Basic Education has called for the standardization of classroom construction costs across all government implementation modes, amid concerns over wide price disparities.
During a hearing on Senate Resolution No. 252, Senator Bam Aquino noted that the cost of building a single classroom varies significantly—from ₱1.5 million to as high as ₱4 million—depending on whether projects are implemented through public-private partnerships (PPPs), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), or local government units (LGUs).
“This fund must be used to build classrooms at the right price, in the right way, and at the right time,” Aquino said.
Aquino stressed that PPPs are being explored as complementary solutions, not substitutes, as the government works to address an estimated backlog of 166,000 classrooms nationwide.
He underscored the need for a “whole-of-nation, whole-of-government approach” to speed up delivery and maximize resources.
The committee will assess and compare costs, timelines, and outputs across PPP, DPWH, and LGU-led projects. The findings are expected to help shape policy decisions and guide deliberations for the 2027 national budget.
For 2026, the education sector received a record ₱1.34 trillion allocation, including ₱67.9 billion earmarked for classroom construction, with at least 25,000 classrooms targeted for construction or groundbreaking within the year.