MANILA - The Department of Education (DepEd) is joining forces with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to accelerate the construction of classrooms, aiming to address the persistent backlog through improved procurement strategies.
According to Philippines News Agency, during an ambush interview at Carmona National High School on Monday, the current validation process for school site procurement poses significant challenges, including issues related to land titles and the suitability of sites for multi-story buildings. Angara highlighted these hurdles as key factors delaying construction projects, specifically citing problems with soil testing that prevent the start of building efforts.
The secretary expressed optimism about reforming these processes by the end of the year, with plans to kickstart construction by January of the next year. He pointed to early procurement practices, already in use at the DPWH, as a potential solution for DepEd's challenges, suggesting that adopting similar strategies could expedite the department's construction initiatives.
Angara also addressed financial readiness, stating that DepEd now has access to funds for repairing schools damaged by Typhoon Carina. Furthermore, he reiterated the need for an additional 159,000 classrooms nationwide, a figure that grows by 12,000 annually. In response, DepEd last year proposed a PHP397 billion budget to build the necessary facilities at a cost of PHP2 million each.
Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, a former colleague of Angara and chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, urged DepEd to ensure effective implementation of the new MATATAG curriculum, which focuses on preparing globally literate and future-ready citizens. He emphasized the importance of supporting teachers with the resources they need to succeed under this new system. Gatchalian noted that this year's national budget includes over PHP700 million for in-service training to aid the rollout of the MATATAG curriculum.