“THE way I see it, the problem right now is the red tape, the bureaucracy. Napakaraming paperwork, delays and miscoordination within DepEd and DPWH,” EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Senator Gatchalian said during an October 10 hearing on school infrastructure.
The discussion, led by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), and between the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), highlighted the growing classroom backlog and persistent underutilization of the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), which has severely delayed critical school infrastructure projects across the country.
As of January 2024, the Department of Education (DepEd) estimates that 165,443 additional classrooms are needed nationwide to address the overcrowding crisis in public schools. A recent Commission on Audit (COA) report noted that only 192 out of the target 6,379 classrooms slated for completion in 2023 were built, highlighting significant delays in school infrastructure projects.
In his presentation, EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee noted that only 30% of the country’s 323,378 school buildings are currently in good condition. “The majority are tagged as requiring major repairs, unfinished, or even condemned with CARAGA, CAR, and Region X having the highest percentage of school buildings in this category”, he said.
Compounding the issue, appropriations for the BEFF have steadily declined. While the fund reached a peak of PHP 118 billion in 2017, it plummeted to just PHP 5.95 billion in 2022, largely due to persistent underutilization. Additionally, delays in inter-agency coordination between DepEd and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) have further exacerbated the backlog in classroom construction.
“Despite efforts to mitigate these challenges, procurement remains to be the primary reason for underutilization of the BEFF”, DepEd Director for Education Programs Management Office Atty. Tara Rama said. “These challenges include delays due to modifications, failed bidding, and contract cancellations”.
Rama also pointed out steps to address the classroom backlog. “The current strategy is to prioritize schools with makeshift structures and partially address schools with high classroom shortage”, she presented. She also pointed to the newly created “Planning, Policy, Monitoring, and Evaluation Strand” within the Department to prioritize the list of new constructions for possible PPPs, Joint Venture Agreements, development partnerships, and multilateral grants.
Explore private-public partnerships to address backlog – Romulo
With over 165,000 additional classrooms needed to accommodate the growing student population and alleviate overcrowding, EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo suggested exploring strategies to leverage the expertise and resources of the private sector.
“Let’s face it, we will not address that 165,000 backlog in classrooms anytime soon. And it’s not just a funding issue ha, yung bottleneck nakikita ang daming logistical and bureaucratic challenges. ‘Wag na tayong matakot sa private contractors,” said Rep. Romulo.
Ms. Kristina Armengol from the Public Private Partnership Center supported this move saying that there are actually PPP projects that can be utilized in addressing the classroom shortage and maintenance issues.
Armengol noted that one of the most underutilized provisions in classroom PPP contracts is the ability for private partners to handle repair and maintenance even after the turnover of school facilities. While this provision can ensure the long-term sustainability and upkeep of classrooms, the issue lies in the lack of a proper reporting mechanism.
DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral also expressed her support for expanding PPP projects but emphasized the importance of stricter provisions and contracts to ensure clearly defined responsibilities, and easier risk management.
“Lessons from past PPP projects such as delays and substandard construction must be taken into account in refining future partnerships” said Education Programs Management Office Director Atty. Tara Rama. She also shared that DepEd’s newly created Planning, Policy, Monitoring, and Evaluation Strand is prioritizing these types of collaborations, focusing on joint ventures and development partnerships to meet the growing demand for educational facilities.
“We need multiple solutions. The voucher system, then we need to improve the process na meron ngayon, PPP is another solution, but of course, we need to fine tune that. Bottomline is, we should have a list of solutions moving forward so that we can address this school and facilities issue,” said Senator Gatchalian.
