Joseph Azil Buena

The Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara on Wednesday, reiterated the important role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in addressing gaps in classroom construction and advancing digitalization within the education system, following the launch of new projects between the agency and the private sector.

Photo Courtesy of DepEd.

Under the third edition of the PPP School Infrastructure Project (PSIP 3), the partnership between DepEd and private sectors will finance the construction and maintenance of at least 15,000 classrooms in 1,600 schools across nine regions in the Philippines starting in 2025.

Set for completion in 2027, the project is expected to benefit around 600,000 Filipino students with new classrooms while generating at least 18,000 more jobs.

“The classroom gap is a massive challenge, but we believe that leveraging private investments through PPPs is the most efficient and sustainable way to address this,” Angara said.

Records from DepEd indicate a backlog of 165,000 classrooms in the Philippines, mainly pointed at constrained government funding, procurement processes, and an increasing student population.

The initiative, with an expected budget of around PHP 37.5 to 60 billion, has already been relayed and presented by Angara to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a meeting on January 7.

In December 2024, Angara and the PPP Center signed a Technical Assistance Agreement, securing a USD 1 million (approximately PHP 58 million) grant to streamline the implementation of the PSIP 3.

Angara has also stated further plans of DepEd to follow up the initial 15,000 additional classrooms with another wave of 90,000 more rooms through PSIP 4 and 5 in the future.

By mid-2026, the agency also eyes to enhance learning outcomes through digitalization and solarization initiatives, which include providing electricity and satellite-based internet connectivity for schools across the nation, along with distributing tablets and laptops to students and teachers.

“With a combination of strategic partnerships and digital investments, DepEd is committed to bridging both the classroom and digital divides to create a future-ready education system producing competitive and highly employable graduates,” Angara said.