MANILA – The P65-billion fund allocated for classroom construction in the 2026 national budget is projected to create more than 100,000 jobs nationwide while helping reduce the country’s 165,000-classroom backlog, Senator Bam Aquino said on Monday.

Speaking during a dialogue with local officials in Iloilo, Aquino, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, explained that building a single classroom typically requires four to six workers and takes three to four months to complete.

“Batay sa pagtayang ito, kung ang target natin ngayong taon ay makapagtayo ng 25,000 classrooms mula sa ating P65 bilyong pondo, lilikha ito ng mahigit 100,000 trabaho,” Aquino said.

He added that workers such as masons, construction laborers, and painters will directly benefit, earning income to support their families.

Under the program, local government units (LGUs) can access the budget once they enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Education (DepEd) to build classrooms. Aquino also noted that the construction program will stimulate local economies and benefit small businesses supplying materials for the projects.

“Kapag kumuha tayo ng local contractor, magbabayad sila ng buwis sa lokal na pamahalaan at kikita rin ang ating maliliit na negosyo mula sa kailangang supply sa pagtatayo ng classroom,” he said.

The initiative also addresses public concern over workers’ wages, highlighted by an OCTA Research Tugon ng Masa survey in the fourth quarter of 2025, which found that 45 percent of respondents identified improving salaries as a top priority.

DepEd is granted flexibility under the 2026 budget to partner with LGUs, civil society organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with proven track records for classroom construction.

Meanwhile, the Senate approved Aquino’s Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, or Senate Bill No. 1482, on third and final reading with a 22-0 vote.

The bill allows LGUs and qualified NGOs to construct classrooms in compliance with DepEd standards and guidelines. It also aims to streamline the building process and includes safeguards against corruption by setting a price ceiling on classroom construction.