SENATOR Loren Legarda raised alarm over the country’s massive classroom backlog, which she said has reached an estimated 165,000 nationwide.

During the Senate’s budget deliberations for the Department of Education (DepEd) and its attached agencies, Legarda stressed that the shortage should not be treated as “mere statistics,” pointing to its real impact on learners through overcrowded classrooms, shifting schedules, and reduced learning opportunities.

She commended Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara for pursuing forward-looking solutions to bridge the gap, including public-private partnerships, stronger involvement of local government units, and other innovative mechanisms to fast-track school infrastructure.

Legarda also pressed Angara on whether classroom construction would remain solely under the Department of Public Works and Highways or if DepEd would tap multiple stakeholders for implementation.

In response, Angara affirmed that DepEd would adopt a multi-sectoral approach, signaling a shift toward more collaborative and flexible strategies in addressing the long-standing shortage.