Local government units across the country have joined the Department of Education (DepEd) in a unified effort to speed up the construction of classrooms to address the country’s classroom shortage.

City mayors from across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Education at Malacañan Palace on Monday, pledging to help fast-track permits, identify priority schools, and support the construction of safe and modern classrooms in their communities.

President Marcos Jr. thanked the city local government units for answering the call to help solve the classroom gap.

“Tiyakin nating hindi maaantala ang mga proyekto. Tiyakin nating de-kalidad ang mga silid-aralan. Tiyakin natin na ang bawat sentimo na pinaghirapan ng ating mga kababayan ay gagamitin sa tama,” President Marcos said.

The agreement builds on an earlier partnership with provincial governments and forms part of a broader national strategy to close the country’s 165,000 classroom gap.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who pushed for the flexibility provision of classroom construction in the 2026 General Appropriations Act, said the partnership will help deliver classrooms faster by working closely with local governments that understand the needs of their schools.

“Malaking hakbang ito upang mas mapabilis ang pagpapatayo ng mga silid-aralan. Alam ng ating mga lungsod kung saan pinakakailangan ang mga classroom, at sa pagtutulungan natin, mas mabibigyan natin ng ligtas at maayos na lugar ang ating mga mag-aaral at guro,” Angara said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has identified education as a top priority, with a total of P85 billion allocated in 2026 for basic education facilities construction and rehabilitation.

DepEd is also exploring new approaches, such as public-private partnerships and leasing, to speed up delivery and improve learning conditions. Local government unitd are also encouraged to set up Learning Continuity Spaces to ensure uninterrupted learning during classroom construction and in times of emergencies or disasters.

Angara said the nationwide partnership empowers cities to take direct action in helping build classrooms, reduce overcrowding, and ensure learners and teachers have better spaces for teaching and learning.