President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has called on local government units (LGUs) to accelerate the construction of classrooms while ensuring their quality.
On Monday, February 23, the President witnessed the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education and city officials for the Nationwide Classroom Building Program. The initiative assigns LGUs responsibilities in building, repairing, and managing classroom projects.
The program allocates ₱9.6 billion for more than 4,000 classrooms, alongside an additional 1,700 classrooms worth ₱5.96 billion.
Marcos noted that the country still needs over 144,000 classrooms to meet demand.
“Kapag kulang ang classroom, masikip ang klase… mas nabibigat ang magturo ang mga guro,” he said, stressing the impact of overcrowding on teachers and students.
The President also highlighted the importance of strict monitoring and reporting by LGUs to guarantee progress and quality. The effort forms part of a broader push to improve education in the Philippines.