Government pours P775.5M into more classrooms, facilities

MANILA, Nov. 21 — Committed to investing in basic education, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is releasing P775.5 million to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to cover the construction of classrooms in areas experiencing acute classroom shortage nationwide.

The DBM in a statement said this is the fourth batch of funds released this year from the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), which had an allocation of P39 billion from the 2014 General Appropriations Act. Of the P775 million, P764.4 million is distributed across 16 regions while the remaining P11 million is allotted to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“Although we’ve closed the classroom gap based on our 2010 backlog target, we acknowledge that there is more work to be done. We’re rebuilding classrooms in the wake of recent calamities even as we take into account the rising number of students each year.”Secretary of Budget Florencio “Butch” Abad said,

Abad added, “The latest fund release will help address this shortage and improve basic facilities in our schools, especially in the ARMM. The funds will also go a long way to support development in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.”

The BEFF is used for the construction, rehabilitation, replacement, completion, and repair of school buildings in areas experiencing acute classroom shortage. It is also used for the construction of water and sanitation facilities, as well as the acquisition of school desks, furniture, and fixtures for the targeted public schools.

The government defines “areas experiencing acute classroom shortage” as areas where the classroom-to-students ratio is 50:1 or where classrooms are temporary in nature, are makeshift, or non-existent.

Below is a breakdown of the allocation per region:

REGION AMOUNT

CAR P 29,769,125

CARAGA 10,817,479

NCR 124,598,577

Region I 78,069,709

Region II 12,072,508

Region III 65,995,861

Region IV-A 36,216,651

Region IV-B 3,504,128

Region V 68,462,077

Region VI 5,744,663

Region VII 70,045,497

Region VIII 23,511,528

Region IX 26,092,608

Region X 104,705,177

Region XI 92,326,408

Region XII 12,520,353

Sub Total 764,482,349

ARMM 11,033,176

Grand Tota l775,515,525

The top three regions with the highest allocations are the National Capital Region (NCR) with P124.6 million, followed closely by Northern Mindanao (Region X) with P104.7 million and Central Visayas (Region VII) with P70 million.

“These releases will ensure our schools are prepared and well-provided for, especially with the K to 12 program that requires the proper facilities and equipment. Education reform is one of the key priorities of the Aquino administration and this release will boost our commitment to the education of future generations,” the Secretary said.

Prior to the latest release, the DBM had channeled a total of 17.5 billion to the DPWH and the ARMM—P7.7 billion in May, P1.3 billion in June, and P7.7 billion in September—for this year. Of the amount released, P17.1 billion had been coursed through the DPWH while P433.8 million was allotted to the ARMM.(dbm.gov.ph)

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