Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has called on local government units (LGUs) to speed up the construction, repair, and rehabilitation of classrooms, emphasizing the importance of safe and adequate learning spaces for the country's youth.

According to Philippines News Agency, the President made this appeal during a ceremony at Malaca±an Palace, where he received the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by the Department of Education (DepEd) and city officials for the Nationwide Classroom Building Program. This agreement formalizes the participation of LGUs in implementing school infrastructure projects.

Marcos highlighted the issues that arise when there is a shortage of classrooms, such as overcrowded classes and students having to attend in shifts, which complicate the learning process for students and increase the burden on teachers. The urgency of the situation is underscored by the country's current classroom shortage of over 140,000 units as of January 2026.

The program assigns LGUs the responsibility for project implementation, procurement, and on-site management, while DepEd is tasked with setting technical standards, validating projects, and monitoring compliance to ensure that public funds are used appropriately. Funding will be distributed in three tranches to dedicated trust accounts, with monthly and quarterly reporting to ensure accountability.

The first tranche, amounting to PHP9.6 billion, will finance over 4,000 classrooms, with an additional 1,700 classrooms valued at PHP5.96 billion under the MOA. Marcos urged LGUs to ensure the timely completion and quality of these projects, emphasizing the need to prevent delays and maintain high standards in the construction of new classrooms.

The President noted that this program is part of a broader initiative to support teachers, provide learning materials, and ensure high-standard education infrastructure across the nation, marking a shift toward faster and more responsive implementation of classroom projects.