Bernie Anabo Jr.
By all accounts, this is no longer just a shortage.
It’s a ticking time bomb.
Parañaque City 2nd District Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan is drawing a hard line: the Philippines cannot afford to drag its feet while public school students are crammed into overcrowded classrooms, corridors, and even under trees.
And the numbers are brutal.
The country is already grappling with a staggering 145,000-classroom backlog. But here’s the kicker — by 2028, some 51,000 public school buildings will hit the end of their 50-year structural lifespan and may become structurally unsafe.
Translation? The crisis is about to explode.
YAMSUAN: “ALL HANDS ON DECK — NOW.”
Yamsuan isn’t sugarcoating it. The government alone cannot fix this mess.
“We need all hands on deck,” he declared, pushing House Bill No. 7362, or the proposed Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act.
His message is clear: the private sector must step up.
Under his bill, civil society organizations and private groups will be encouraged to build classrooms through alternative procurement modes and simplified auditing procedures — cutting red tape that has long strangled public infrastructure projects.
If the bureaucracy can’t move fast enough, Yamsuan wants to clear the runway.
PRIVATE SECTOR: FASTER, CHEAPER, BETTER?
Yamsuan points out what many officials are reluctant to admit — private groups have proven they can construct school buildings at lower cost and with high quality.
The proposed CAP Act will also allow qualified local government units (LGUs) to propose and implement classroom projects using national funds directly.
No more passing the buck.
The Department of Budget and Management, the Government Procurement Policy Board, and the Commission on Audit — in consultation with DepEd — will be tasked with crafting mechanisms to make private-sector participation easier and more transparent.
This isn’t just reform. It’s a structural overhaul.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara has already launched a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) School Infrastructure Project targeting 15,000 classrooms by 2027, benefiting an estimated 600,000 learners.
Good start?
Yes.
Enough?
Not even close.
With 145,000 classrooms lacking and 51,000 aging buildings on the brink, the gap remains massive.
Yamsuan is blunt:
“Hindi kakayanin ng gobyerno mag-isa.”
The government cannot solve this alone.
PRICE TAG AND PRIORITY STATUS
The bill sets classroom construction costs between P1.6 million and P2.1 million for one- to four-story buildings, adjustable up to 20% for regional cost differences — but always subject to DepEd standards.
No shortcuts. No substandard builds.
The proposed CAP Act has been tagged as a priority measure by President Marcos and included in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) list.
The Senate has already passed its version on third and final reading.
Now the spotlight turns to the House.
YAMSUAN TURNS UP THE HEAT
As a former DILG assistant secretary, Yamsuan knows bureaucracy inside out — and he’s clearly tired of watching children pay the price for institutional delays.
He is urging lawmakers to fast-track the CAP Act before the crisis worsens.
Because this isn’t just about buildings.
It’s about students forced to squeeze into jam-packed rooms.
It’s about kids holding classes in hallways.
It’s about learners studying under trees while government paperwork gathers dust.
If Congress stalls, the consequences will be visible in every overcrowded classroom across the country.
The warning has been issued.
The numbers are in the table.
And Cong. Brian Yamsuan is making it clear:
The race against time has begun — and excuses are no longer acceptable.
