President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday sealed the second batch of partnerships with local government units to accelerate the administration’s Nationwide Classroom Building Program, which aims to address the country’s classroom shortage estimated at 144,758 units as of January 2026.

The partnership between the Department of Education and participating LGUs seeks to fast-track the construction, rehabilitation and repair of classrooms nationwide.

“Every classroom we build gives our children a better future,” President Marcos said.

“We cannot wait for decades, years, to give every student a safe and conducive classroom for effective learning,” he added.

Under the agreement, city governments will oversee procurement, construction and project management to ensure faster implementation, while DepEd will set standards and validate compliance before final turnover and payment.

“Tiyakin natin hindi maaantala ang mga proyekto. Tiyakin natin de-kalidad ang ating maitatayo na silid-aralan. Tiyakin din natin na ang bawat sentimo na pinaghirapan ng ating mga kababayan ay gagamitin sa tama.”

The initiative is supported by funding under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, which allocates P85.4 billion for Basic Education Facilities. Of this amount, P9.6 billion has been programmed for the construction of approximately 4,000 classrooms under the first tranche, while an additional P5.96 billion will fund around 1,700 more classrooms through the newly signed agreements.

Accountability mechanisms include tranche-based fund releases, dedicated trust accounts and mandatory monthly and quarterly reporting to DepEd.

Beyond infrastructure, the administration said it continues to roll out complementary education reforms, including the expansion of the ARAL Program, faster procurement of learning materials and improved career progression pathways for teachers.

“Hindi lamang tayo nagtatayo ng silid-aralan; nagtatayo tayo ng isang matibay na kinabukasan para sa ating kabataan at para sa ating minamahal na Pilipinas,” President Marcos emphasized.