The Department of Education (DepEd) has joined hands with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and 38 local government units to accelerate the modernization of public school infrastructure across the country.
On Thursday, September 24, 2026, DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo 'Sonny' Angara, PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Tengco, and representatives from the participating LGUs formally signed a memorandum of agreement for the program. Under the agreement, PAGCOR will provide PHP2.09 billion in financial assistance equivalent to PHP55 million for each of the 38 partner local governments.
The funds will support the construction of three-story school buildings, each containing 12 classrooms. The new facilities are designed to ease the long-standing shortage of classrooms that continues to affect many public schools.
Secretary Angara described the classroom shortage as one of the biggest challenges facing the education sector. He noted that the problem persists not only because many school buildings are aging but also because schools are repeatedly damaged by natural disasters every year.
“One of the biggest challenges that we face in the Department is the shortage of classrooms”, Angara said. He added that the partnership with PAGCOR and the local governments represents significant support for DepEd’s goal of providing better learning environments for students.
Each new building will come fully equipped. Classrooms will have chairs, tables, electric fans, and facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities. They will also feature 75-inch smart televisions with amplifiers and microphones, plus a one-year free internet subscription.
Tengco said the goal is to give students and teachers the tools they need for a better learning experience. “We want these school buildings to provide students and teachers with the facilities they need for a better learning experience, including comfortable classrooms, basic amenities and technology that can support teaching and learning,” he stated.
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The financial assistance will be released in three tranches, subject to technical compliance and progress monitoring. Local government units will take charge of procurement and construction, ensuring that projects follow government procurement rules and approved architectural plans.
Once completed, the buildings will be turned over to DepEd, which will assume full ownership, administrative management, and maintenance of the facilities. Tengco expressed hope that the structures can be finished by 2027 or 2028, especially in communities where the need for additional classrooms is most urgent.
This latest agreement builds on earlier efforts. In March, DepEd signed an initial partnership with 21 LGUs under the same program. Those projects are expected to deliver 252 classrooms. PAGCOR had previously allocated PHP1.37 billion for the construction of 25 public school buildings nationwide.
The combined initiatives form part of a broader push to modernize school infrastructure and expand digital connectivity in public schools. Officials emphasized that stronger, better-equipped buildings will not only reduce overcrowding but also help schools withstand the impact of typhoons, floods, and other natural hazards that regularly disrupt classes.
By pairing national funding support from PAGCOR with local implementation by the LGUs, the program aims to deliver tangible improvements on the ground more quickly. For thousands of students in the 38 partner localities, the new three-story buildings are expected to mean safer, more comfortable, and better-equipped classrooms in the coming years.
