EDCOM 2: Eliminate shifting in Kinder to Grade 3, partner with LGUs and private sector for classroom construction

EDCOM 2: Eliminate shifting in Kinder to Grade 3, partner with LGUs and private sector for classroom construction

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) concurred with the findings of the Senate Basic Education Committee hearing on classroom congestion today, pointing to the need to utilize partnerships between local government units and private non-government organizations to speed up classroom construction and make them more cost-effective.

The hearing, the Committee's first in the 20th Congress, tackled various solutions to the dismal 165,000-classroom backlog in DepEd's pipeline. This severe shortage forces thousands of schools into multi-shift schedules, impacting effective learning, particularly for Kinder to Grade 3 students who are non-independent learners. Compounding the crisis are classrooms still in use from the 1960s, many of which are now condemned or used as evacuation centers.

"Ayon sa EDCOM report, 5.1 million ang aisle learners, o naka-upo sa aisle ng classroom kasi wala silang silya. Hindi rin natin nabibilang sa kulang ang mga classrooms kung saan may double shift o triple shift na mga estudyante. 165,000 ang kulang, o hindi pa nagawa. Pero ilang libo pa kaya ang sira, siksikan, o kailangan ng mga estudyante para sa pagshi-shifting?", EDCOM 2 Co-Chair and Senate Basic Education Chairperson Sen. Bam Aquino said.

"Our consultations with teachers and parents on the ground consistently show that children struggle to learn in overcrowded, dilapidated spaces," stated Dr. Karol Mark Yee, Executive Director of EDCOM 2. "This is a critical reform that needs to be pushed fast; we have no time to waste"

Why are classroom costs different?

Sen. Aquino noted, citing findings from the EDCOM 2 Year Two Report, that classroom construction costs vary and are not standardized. He pointed out that the DepEd price for each classroom is P2.5M, while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) price is P3.5M.

A case from Dumaguete City showed that the average cost of classrooms when locally funded stands at P2.1M, while the ones contracted via public-private partnerships is at P1.5M.

While the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reports costs ranging from P29,838 to P36,067 per square meter, private sector and local government units (LGUs) demonstrate the capacity to build quality classrooms at significantly lower rates.

EDCOM 2 Commissioner Sen. Loren Legarda expressed concern about the almost double cost of DPWH constructions, suggesting that if private sector contractors could build at a more inexpensive rate with similar quality, the more expensive government contractors should be analyzed.

"Ano kayang ginto ang ginagamit ng DPWH na halos doble [ang construction cost]?...Sino kaya ang gumagawa sa DPWH na P36,000 [per square meter] and sino kaya ang gumagawa sa private sector na P20,000 [per square meter]? I cannot imagine, for the life of me, na almost double", Legarda said.

Several organizations corroborated the claims. The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCII), through its 'Bari School' program, builds schoolhouses at a remarkable Php8,000 to Php10,000 per square meter. The Angat Buhay Foundation constructs classrooms for as low as Php862,500 per classroom.

In terms of the time it takes to complete classroom construction, publicly-funded projects are slower to complete than projects initiated via private partnerships. Aquino noted that LGU-private sector partnerships can accomplish construction projects for classrooms in less than a year, while national government agencies take years to finish. Sen. Kiko Pangilinan expressed frustration at this disparity. "Mas mahal na, mas mabagal pa", he said.

Public-private partnerships key to addressing backlog

Sen. Aquino proposed a solution to the backlog, in the form of Senate Bill No. 121, or the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, which seeks to authorize LGUs and private sector entities to build classrooms, with support from the national government in terms of funding.

EDCOM 2 Commissioner Sen. Win Gatchalian commended the proposal, saying that simultaneous construction of classrooms is key, pointing to his experience as Valenzuela City Mayor. He pointed to previous administrations' "counterparting" program, where private organizations are allowed to build classrooms simultaneously with LGUs and the national government. "Dahil sabay-sabay, in a matter of one year, sabay-sabay kami natatapos. That's why the Chairman's proposal is very innovative and effective, because meron nang proof of concept na - in terms of the counterparting program", Gatchalian said.

"Ang comment ko lang, those poor municipalities, siguro mas maliit 'yung counterpart niya...'Yung mga malalaki, kagaya ng Dumaguete, Valenzuela, 50-50. Pero 'yung mga 4th, 5th class [municipalities], baka mas maliit dapat ang kanilang mga counterpart...", he added.

Aquino underscored the urgent need to address the classroom deficit and mustered support for SBN 121. "Kapag hindi natin mahanapan ng solusyon ang backlog ng classrooms, we're looking at not just years but decades, siguro mahigit pa sa limang presidente ang lilipas bago natin mahabol ang kakulangan na ito kung hindi natin ito mamadaliin at talagang bibigyan ng tamang pansin", he said.

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