How Phl could revitalize school infrastructure

A sad truth we must face is that the Philippine public school system cannot meet the demands of its student population by providing needed classrooms and infrastructure. I can speak from personal experience, having designed public schools in New York City.

If I were part of its DepEd’s executive committee, here are my suggestions in achieving their vision:

Rehauling the school infrastructure and facilities division

DepEd has the “School Infrastructure and Facilities Division,” whose main task is providing the necessary infrastructure to carry out their programs. New York City, where I live, also has a similar dedicated agency called the School Construction Authority (SCA). The difference between the two is that the SCA’s website has readily accessibly information on how to efficiently design and repair schools. Their library of architectural and engineering standards, details, and specifications is extremely impressive. The best part? All information is free.

DepEd has similar guidelines outlined in a very outdated 200-page book written with the United Architects of the Philippines. This book was published in 2010, two years before DepEd overhauled the school system with the K-12 program. It is critical for DepEd to revisit and update these guidelines since spatial requirements differ among grade levels, i.e., designing a high school bathroom is entirely different than planning for a first-grader.

Incentivizing local excellence

New York City has unique program allowing minority-owned and locally-operated enterprises to bid on school infrastructure projects. DepEd can adopt something similar, prioritizing local architects in their projects over their city counterparts, helping create an equitable economy.

By having local architects participate in designing the spaces they live in, DepEd is engaging in a form of placemaking, an urban planning term that takes a people-centric approach to revitalizing public space. Placemaking allows people to collaborate and design spaces to address its end users’ needs. It contributes to a community’s economic growth, spotlights local culture, and encourages people to care for the spaces they inhabit. Local architects know their area masterfully, so they are bound to uncover nuances in design that specifically cater to their local community.

Reframing perception of public-school infrastructure

A building is governmentally-funded does not automatically mean it should be ugly. It starts with a unifying vision that everyone deserves to live, learn, work and play in well-designed spaces regardless of their budget. Public schools here in New York City can put many Filipino private schools to shame because they constantly strive to be innovative in design.

Having DepEd rehaul their building construction process and framework would streamline their infrastructure development and construction. If that were the case, our public schools would be better equipped to serve the large population of Filipino students. After all, they do deserve better.

Romeo is a Filipino architect helping shape the building typologies of New York City for almost a decade. He likes to share his insights on urban planning, architecture, and the city’s culture whenever possible.