The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) came under intense scrutiny during a recent Senate budget hearing after it revealed that only 22 classrooms were completed in 2025—far below its 1,700-classroom target for the year.
Senator Bam Aquino, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, expressed outrage over the dismal performance, calling the pace of construction both “unexplainable” and “heartbreaking.”
“Just saying it, sumasakit po yung puso ko na 22 lang po yung nagawang classroom. Ang current classroom backlog ho natin ay 146,000. By 2028, if we continue at this rate, aabot ho tayo ng 200,000. Sec., anong gagawin natin dito? 22 classrooms ang nagawa po ng DPWH. October na po, 2025,” Aquino said.
The Senator warned that unless the DPWH drastically improves its performance, the country’s already dire classroom shortage could escalate into a full-blown education crisis.
Beyond the staggering delays, Aquino also questioned the agency’s budgeting practices. He pointed out that the DPWH’s quoted cost of P3.5 million per classroom is significantly higher than independent estimates, which peg the cost of a disaster-resilient classroom at around P2 million or less.
He urged the agency to review its cost assumptions and designs, noting that “overdesign” is often used as a cover for overpricing. “We need to take a hard look not just at materials but at the entire process. It’s our students who suffer,” he said.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon admitted the classroom shortfall was “deplorable,” and committed to investigating the root causes—whether due to funding issues or bureaucratic bottlenecks. He assured the Senate that the agency would implement reforms, including tapping local government units (LGUs) to speed up classroom construction.
Dizon also expressed full support for Aquino’s proposed Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, a measure recently certified as a priority bill by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The bill seeks to decentralize the classroom construction mandate by transferring it to LGUs.
“Kaya klarong-klaro po sa akin na kailangang tanggalin na sa DPWH iyong paggawa ng mga classroom natin. Minumungkahi natin na bigyan natin ng tulong iyong mga local government unit na sila mismo ang gumawa ng mga classroom sa kanilang mga lugar. Ito po iyong laman ng Classroom Acceleration Program (CAP). Pondohan po natin ito. Gawa ng makukuha nating pondo mula sa flood control na tatanggalin natin,” the lawmaker said.
Aquino emphasized that empowering LGUs will not only ensure faster construction but also guarantee better cost-efficiency. “I’m confident LGUs can build more than 22 classrooms at a time,” he added.
The Senator closed by calling on Congress, the Senate, the Department of Education, and the public to unite in addressing the crisis. “If we don’t act now, the backlog will only get worse—and our students will pay the price.”
