Photo credit: Sony Angara

Education Secretary Sonny Angara is calling on local governments to take a bigger and more hands-on role in building classrooms and protecting education funds, as the government prepares to roll out billions of pesos worth of school infrastructure projects next year.

Speaking during a dialogue with the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) coalition in Manila on December 18, Angara said stronger transparency and accountability are critical as the Department of Education (DepEd) moves forward with a major portion of its 2026 school infrastructure program. The program carries a Senate-approved budget of PhP85.4 billion, intended to fund the construction and completion of around 24,500 classrooms nationwide.

Angara emphasized that local government units (LGUs) will be central to the effort, particularly in securing land, speeding up permit approvals, and closely monitoring project implementation. These roles, he said, are crucial if the government hopes to address the country’s massive classroom shortage, now estimated at more than 165,000 nationwide.

“Kung malinaw ang bidding, mabilis ang permitting, at mahigpit ang lokal na monitoring, mas mabilis nating maihahatid ang mga silid-aralan sa mga bata,” Angara said, stressing that good governance at the local level can significantly cut construction delays.

Under the planned setup, capable LGUs may be authorized to directly handle classroom construction using national funds. These projects will run alongside those implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as well as initiatives under public-private partnerships and other government channels. Angara said this multi-track approach is designed to accelerate delivery, especially in areas where local governments can move faster in procurement and project supervision.

The education chief also highlighted recent reforms in the use of the Special Education Fund (SEF), which comes from the 1 percent real property tax. Following updated joint guidelines issued by DepEd and other oversight agencies, the SEF can now be used to support early childhood education, school feeding programs, literacy and remediation efforts, classroom digital devices, and inclusive education initiatives, provided spending decisions are guided by local data and actual needs.

Angara said aligning SEF use with transparent local school board decisions and data-driven planning is essential to ensure that increased funding results in completed classrooms, improved learning environments, and better outcomes for students.

The meeting with M4GG forms part of DepEd’s broader push to open its programs to closer public scrutiny through expanded auditing, public reporting, and evidence-based planning. The move aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to turn record-high education budgets into concrete improvements in schools across the country.

Launched in 2023, the Mayors for Good Governance coalition is composed of city and municipal leaders committed to integrity, transparency, and accountability in local governance. Its convenors include Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and Isabela City, Basilan Mayor Sitti Hataman.