MANILA – Senator Bam Aquino has called on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, which seeks to address the country’s persistent classroom shortage.

Aquino, author of Senate Bill No. 121 or the CAP Act, said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) cannot address the problem alone, citing its recent disclosure that only 22 out of 1,700 target classrooms for 2025 have been completed.

“Lahat tayo nagulat nung nalaman natin na bente dos lang ang classrooms na ginawa ng DPWH ngayong taon. Ang backlog natin 145,000 pataas kaya iyong 22 na paggawa ng DPWH, hindi po talaga iyan katanggap-tanggap,” said Aquino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

While the bill has been identified as one of the administration’s priority measures in the 20th Congress, Aquino said the President should take the next step by certifying it as urgent to speed up its passage.

“Ang panawagan namin sa Classroom Acceleration Program Bill ay ibigay ito sa mga LGU. Natutuwa kami na sa araw na ito, sinang-ayunan tayo ng Presidente. We’re hoping na dahil nag-a-agree na po tayo dito, ise-certify po niya na urgent ang Classroom Acceleration Program para sabay-sabay po tayong gagawa ng mga classroom para sa ating mga kabataan,” he said.

If enacted, Senate Bill No. 121 would complement the President’s directive to channel funds directly to local government units (LGUs) to expedite the construction of classrooms nationwide.

The proposed measure aims to decentralize classroom construction by empowering LGUs and non-government organizations (NGOs) with proven track records to build classrooms in compliance with Department of Education (DepEd) standards and guidelines.

“Mahalaga po na ilagay na lang natin iyong responsibilidad ng paggawa ng classroom sa mga grupo at tao na kaya talagang gawin ito sa madaliang panahon at sa tamang presyo,” Aquino explained.

“Mga local government unit, mga NGO na may track record, sabay-sabay po iyan para ma-address natin iyong napakalaking problema po natin sa edukasyon,” he added.

During a Senate hearing on the DPWH budget, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon expressed full support for Aquino’s proposal, saying the department is open to partnerships to accelerate classroom construction across the country.

“We are in full support of this measure, especially now na dalawampu’t dalawa pa lang ang nagagawa ng departamento ngayong taon. Kailangan po talaga natin ang tulong,” Dizon said.

“At this rate, it’s virtually impossible na magawa ng DPWH itong kailangan nating mga classrooms,” he added.