The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P578 million for the construction and completion of classrooms nationwide, in line with the Aquino Administration’s goal to close the nationwide classroom gap this year.
The funding—released to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and chargeable against the budget for Basic Education Facilities FY 2013—will support the construction of more classrooms across the country, especially in areas experiencing acute classroom shortage.
“Even as the 2014 budget is already being deliberated in Congress, the DBM continues to implement the current year’s budget so that the timely and efficient delivery of social services isn’t compromised.
“This latest release underscores President Aquino’s commitment to ensure that our public schools have enough well-built classrooms for our students. The Administration continues to work to stay on-track in providing key educational facilities, especially in hard-to-reach and far-flung areas where the classroom shortage has gone unaddressed for too long,” DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.
Students in Region III will benefit the most from the P578 million release with a P171 million allocation. This is followed by Regions VII and XII with allotments of P95 million and P52 million, respectively.
In addition, P47 million has been allocated for the students in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that would help provide for much-needed classrooms in the region. (DBM)