Manila: Malaca±ang on Wednesday assured the public that the administration monitoring will remain stringent over classroom construction under the new Department of Education (DepEd)-local government units (LGU) partnership. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reminded local officials that while they have authority and budgetary control to implement the projects in their areas, this does not mean they will operate without oversight.

According to Philippines News Agency, the reminder came after Marcos witnessed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing between DepEd and LGUs to fast-track classroom construction nationwide. The initiative is part of the government's response to the country's persistent classroom shortage, which reached 145,000 units as of December 2025.

Under the MOA, the DepEd provides funding, classroom designs, and technical standards, while LGUs will handle procurement and construction. The government has allocated PHP9.6 billion for the first tranche of the program, which targets the construction of around 4,000 classrooms nationwide.

Marcos has stressed that giving LGUs a greater role in implementation will accelerate construction and reduce unnecessary delays. 'By giving the LGUs greater role in the implementation, we streamline the process. We reduce delays, and move faster in building schools that our children need,' the President said during the signing ceremony.