Classroom backlog could outlast 5 presidents, says Bam Aquino

The Philippines’ classroom shortage is so severe it could persist well beyond the terms of five future presidents unless the government finds a more efficient way to build new school infrastructure, Senate basic education panel chairperson Sen. Bam Aquino warned Tuesday, August 12.

- 

The Department of Education (DepEd) currently estimates a backlog of 165,000 classrooms, but Aquino said the real number could be higher once dilapidated classrooms or classrooms used for double and triple shifts are counted.

"If we cannot find a solution to the backlog of classrooms, we're looking at not just years, but decades, perhaps more than five presidents’ terms will pass, before we can catch up... if we don’t act with urgency and give [the problem] proper attention,” Aquino said at the Senate basic education committee’s inquiry on classroom and textbook shortages.

BOTTLENECKS AND MISMATCHED STANDARDS

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) from 2014 to 2024 shows the government has consistently fallen short of its annual classroom construction targets, with many projects spilling into later years. This has led to an accumulated backlog of more than 165,000 classrooms.

Even in 2024, DepEd was only able to complete 605 new classrooms — barely a third of its target of 1,628 under the 2024 budget, according to the agency's submission for the 2026 National Expenditure Program.

The Senate inquiry on Tuesday surfaced multiple obstacles in the classroom “project cycle,” including slow budget releases, outdated regulations and unresolved land ownership issues.

National building standards also often failed to account for varying terrain or lack of buildable space in cities, which further delays classroom construction.