Senator Bam Aquino has urged the Department of Education to move faster in building classrooms and meet its target of completing 25,000 new classrooms before the end of 2026.
During a Senate hearing on Thursday, Aquino said the P67-billion budget approved for classroom construction should quickly translate into better learning spaces for Filipino students.
He reminded government agencies that the country is still facing a shortage of about 166,000 classrooms, forcing many students to study in overcrowded rooms while teachers handle multiple shifts.
“Habulin natin ang target. Mag double-time tayo,” Aquino said as he called for faster processing and the removal of delays in project implementation.
Aquino warned that failure to use the budget efficiently could affect future funding for education.
He also shared what he saw during a visit to schools in Montalban, Rizal, where some students start classes as early as 5:30 a.m. because of shifting schedules, while others continue using overcrowded or condemned classrooms.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is expected to explain how it plans to speed up construction and turn over completed classrooms on time.IMT
