- DepEd’s Generation HOPE program has built 144 classrooms nationwide.
- The initiative benefits 52,000 learners by providing safe and effective learning spaces.
- Companies like SM collaborate with DepEd to address classroom shortages and support quality education.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez has praised the Department of Education’s (DepEd) partnership with the HOPE group and other companies, highlighting its achievement of building 144 classrooms and benefiting 52,000 learners across the Philippines.
Romualdez, in a statement on Thursday, said DepEd’s Generation HOPE program not only addresses the country’s significant classroom shortage but also supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s long-term vision for the education sector.
Under the program, partner companies, including SM, help install new classrooms nationwide as part of a public-private partnership with DepEd. The initiative aims to provide safe, organized, and effective learning spaces for students.
“This project is not just about building classrooms but also about giving concrete hope to every Filipino child. Through the collaboration of the government and the private sector, we are able to provide a safer, more organized, and more effective learning environment for them”, Romualdez said in Filipino.
He added that collaboration with the education sector lays the foundation for high-quality education and supports the development of the next generation of learners.
The HOPE group, which includes Generation HOPE, Inc. and Friends of HOPE, channels 100 percent of profits from its flagship products, such as Hope in a Bottle and Hope in a Box, into classrooms and other social projects. The organization was established in 2012 by Nanette Medved-Po.
In his State of the Nation Address last month, President Marcos stated that the government aims to build 40,000 additional classrooms by 2028. Romualdez also assured the President that sufficient funding would be allocated to the education sector next year.
The Department of Budget and Management recently submitted the proposed P6.7 trillion National Expenditure Program to the House of Representatives. If approved, the education sector will emerge as the biggest beneficiary.
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In the proposed 2026 national budget, P28.1 billion has been set aside for Basic Education Facilities. This allocation covers the construction of 4,869 new classrooms and the rehabilitation of existing facilities, ensuring that more students nationwide have access to quality learning environments.
With initiatives like Generation HOPE and continued government support, the Philippines is taking significant steps toward addressing its classroom shortage and improving education for future generations.
