Manila: The Department of Education (DepEd) announced the rollout of a PHP105.7-billion school infrastructure public-private partnership (PPP) initiative, aimed at constructing 16,459 new classrooms in areas with high demand.
According to Philippines News Agency, the approval for the Public-Private Partnership for School Infrastructure Project Phase III (PSIP III) was recently secured from the Economy and Development Council (ED Council), chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The PSIP III aims to address the slow progress in classroom construction previously managed solely by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the need for diversified strategies to expedite classroom delivery, stating, "Hindi na puwedeng umasa lang tayo sa iisang paraan (We should not rely in just a single system). PSIP is one of our horses in this race to deliver classrooms faster to our communities." He highlighted the benefits of each new classroom in reducing congestion, improving safety, and providing adequate space for effective teaching and learning.
The PSIP III is part of a larger initiative to accelerate classroom construction and enhance governance in school infrastructure. This includes plans for nearly 24,000 classrooms programmed for 2026 under the national budget and enabling local government units to directly construct classrooms, as DepEd aims to reduce the country's estimated backlog of 165,000 classrooms.
Once operational, the new classrooms are expected to accommodate about 800,000 learners annually, helping to reduce overcrowding in more than 1,000 public schools nationwide. The project aims to decrease the average class size from 50 to 39 learners, while also increasing student contact time, reducing fatigue, and improving school operations and safety.
Angara noted that PSIP III could generate approximately 57,000 jobs. "Through PSIP III, we are opening the door to a whole-of-nation approach - working with the private sector to deliver classrooms faster, more efficiently, and boost local industry," he said. Additionally, the project is anticipated to save the government around PHP40.15 billion.
PSIP III is set to become the largest PPP classroom construction project in the nation's history, with completion targeted for March 2028 or within 19 months of contract signing. The bidding process will commence in March, followed by contract signing in August, and construction is scheduled to start by March 2027. Previous PSIP I and II programs delivered 13,391 classrooms over more than a decade.
