The Philippines grapples with a persistent public classroom shortage of more than 165,000 rooms, driven by population growth and construction delays. At the same time, the 2026 education budget allocates significant but insufficient funds to address it. Programmed projects face massive backlogs due to bureaucratic hurdles and reliance on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). This crisis underscores deeper fiscal and political priorities that hinder faster progress.
The deficit stands at 165,000 classrooms as of late 2025, up from 55,000 twelve years earlier, primarily due to rapid population growth outpacing infrastructure. DepEd reports only fractions of annual targets completed, such as 192 out of 6,379 in 2023 and mere dozens in 2025. At current rates, full resolution could take 55 years.
DepEd receives P928.52 billion overall in 2026, with P13.2 billion specifically for 4,900 new classrooms and up to P28 billion for facilities, including repairs. Broader education funding hits P1.35 trillion, the highest ever at over 4% of GDP, also covering nutrition, laptops, and internet. Partnerships with local governments and the private sector aim for 40,000 rooms by 2028.
Construction lags due to DPWH overload, delayed validations, leadership changes, and the high cost of P2.6-3.8 million per room, compared to LGU or CSO builds at P0.8-2 million. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and flood-control priorities divert resources, despite pushes for direct DepEd funding or flexible funding in 2026. Public dashboards and PPPs are proposed to track and accelerate.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) and NGOs construct classrooms far more cheaply at P800,000-P1.3 million each, halving backlogs with existing budgets, as shown in local examples from Dumaguete and Iloilo. Senators advocate for the CAP Act to support CSO partnerships in bidding and monitoring, bypassing DPWH monopolies that yielded just 60 rooms in one year. LGUs’ fund via the Special Education Fund from 1% real property add-on tax, benefiting millions already.
Classrooms rank high but compete with learning recovery, nutrition, and digital tools amid fiscal constraints. Low real property tax yields—0.1-0.5% of GDP in the Philippines, akin to Thailand/Indonesia (versus higher elsewhere)—limit local education funds, with assessments at 20-50% of market value. Congress members overwhelmingly own land (21/23 senators in past data; recent SALNs show multimillion-dollar assets), potentially stalling reforms like valuation updates that could boost revenue for infrastructure improvements.
The Philippines’ 165,000 backlog dwarfs reported ASEAN peers, where Indonesia/Vietnam/Thailand face learning disruptions but no equivalent quantified shortages amid post-pandemic reforms. Globally, shortages tied to 44 million teacher gaps by 2030, with underfunding in Asia mirroring the Philippines’ issues. Unlike regional electrification successes, the Philippines lags in ICT and basics.
“The most cynical analysis of the classroom shortage in the Philippines is summed up in the assertion that it’s harder to ‘ghost’ a classroom than a flood control project, and harder to build a substandard classroom because the risk of fatalities from an earthquake would draw undue attention.”
DepEd’s 2026 budget, at a record P1.015 trillion, faces criticism for insufficiency despite its size, heavy personnel costs, and presidential vetoes impacting benefits. Teachers’ groups and watchdogs highlight gaps in addressing core shortages, such as classrooms, amid disasters. These concerns persist even as the allocation meets UNESCO’s 4% GDP benchmark for the first time.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) labels it “historic but not sufficient,” falling short of the 6% GDP needed to fix deficiencies, especially after typhoons destroyed 14,000 classrooms. EDCOM II previously urged greater construction spending, echoing calls that went unheeded in the final figures despite P85 billion allocated to facilities. Critics argue that P105 billion per year is needed to accommodate 12,000 rooms, leading to decades-long delays.
Over P700 billion goes to salaries, drawing flak for sidelining infrastructure; ACT slams the P55 billion cut to the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund and Marcos’ P43 billion veto of unprogrammed funds, delaying transitions for 41,000+ DepEd contract workers. It affects retirements, terminal leaves, and salary increases, leading to caps or protests over supplemental funds.
Watchdogs decry “soft pork” in unprogrammed funds (P243 billion retained), lacking oversight, undermining Congress’s control. Slow rollout persists, with Makabayan probing construction lags despite P65 billion for 25,000 rooms.
The most cynical analysis of the classroom shortage in the Philippines is summed up in the assertion that it’s harder to ‘ghost’ a classroom than a flood control project, and harder to build a substandard classroom because the risk of fatalities from an earthquake would draw undue attention.
In some places, the mango tree remains the best option for a classroom – at least in May, snacks are free when the mangoes fall from the tree.
