Fourteen provinces have been cleared to begin procurement for new classroom construction projects after the Department of Education (DepEd) finalized supplemental agreements with local governments, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Wednesday.

The agreements, signed under DepEd’s Classroom Building Program, authorize the provinces of Ifugao, Sorsogon, Mountain Province, Abra, Quezon, Samar, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Oriental Mindoro, Biliran, Dinagat Islands, Misamis Oriental, Southern Leyte, and Siquijor to proceed with bidding and construction processes.

“Sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng lokal na kapasidad at kaalaman, mas mabilis nating magagawa ang mga silid-aralan na kailangang-kailangan ng ating mga guro at mag-aaral,” Angara said.

The Department of Education has been under pressure to address classroom shortages and congestion in public schools, a long-standing issue that affects millions of students nationwide. 

Under the new setup, participating local government units (LGUs) will act as procuring entities, taking charge of construction, fund management, and compliance with procurement laws. 

DepEd, however, will retain oversight in including design validation and inspection of completed classrooms to ensure adherence to national standards.

The agreements also require LGUs to maintain separate trust accounts for project funds and submit regular financial reports, a measure aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability.

To prepare local implementers, DepEd conducted technical workshops covering engineering designs, procurement timelines, and bidding procedures. 

Several LGUs have also begun identifying and validating potential school sites ahead of construction.

Earlier this week, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the release of ₱17.27 billion for the construction of 4,960 classrooms nationwide, including furniture, in a bid to ease overcrowding in public schools.

DepEd said at least 37 more supplemental agreements with other provinces and cities are expected to be signed in the coming weeks, as the agency expands the program nationwide.

Separately, the department has opened bidding for the first three contract packages under the Public-Private Partnership for School Infrastructure Project Phase III, which covers the construction and maintenance of 3,563 classrooms across 329 sites, including in Metro Manila and several regions in Luzon.