Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon disclosed plans to fast-track the construction of classrooms nationwide, in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to closely coordinate with the Department of Education (DepEd).
The DPWH is currently conducting an inventory of schools and classrooms with unfinished facilities to ensure students will soon have new classrooms to use.
Dizon said it was President Marcos who directed the DPWH to cooperate with DepEd to secure funding for the project and immediately begin construction.
“This is the problem. The national government should be proactive in locating unfinished projects and then look for solutions on how to finish them,” Dizon said.
He lamented that new projects are often initiated even as many existing ones remain incomplete.
“Kasi minsan nag-iisip na ng bagong proyekto, andami-dami pang hindi tapos. ‘Di ba, nagpapatong-patong eh,” Dizon said during a recent inspection of Revilla National High School in Cavite.
He stressed that the best way forward is to conduct a nationwide inventory of unfinished school buildings and prioritize them for funding.
“Andaming ganyan all over the country. Imbentaryuhin at ’yun muna ang i-priority lagyan ng pondo,” he said.
Dizon added that the DPWH also needs to fast-track the construction of the road leading to Revilla National High School, noting that the current condition is poor and must be paved before the rainy season to ensure students can travel to school safely.