Philippines Cuts Classroom Backlog to 143,543 Ahead of Presidential Address

Philippines Cuts Classroom Backlog to 143,543 Ahead of Presidential Address

MANILA — The Philippines' Department of Education says the country's nationwide classroom shortage has fallen to an estimated 143,543 classrooms as of June 2026, down from 165,443 at the start of the current administration. The figure was released in an accomplishment report issued ahead of President Marcos's State of the Nation Address.

DepEd said 1,538 classrooms were built between August and December 2025, with a further 1,826 added from January through July 2026. The agency describes the backlog figure as an estimate that continues to be refined through ongoing validation of enrollment data, school inventories, and site conditions, with the Department of Public Works and Highways continuing construction work through the rest of the year.

The classroom-building push runs alongside the country's broader K-12 curriculum overhaul, as officials work to close both infrastructure and curriculum gaps ahead of the 2027-2028 target for full implementation of the revised program.