200 LOCAL OFFICIALS AND LEADERS SUPPORT MEASURE ADDRESSING CLASSROOM BACKLOG
/ 25 October 2025
MORE than 200 local officials, lawmakers, and other leaders have expressed their support for the passage of the proposed Classroom-Building Acceleration Program.
The measure, authored by Senator Bam Aquino, aims to address the classroom backlog in public schools across the country.
Senate Bill No. 121, authored by Aquino, seeks to decentralize classroom construction by authorizing not only the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) but also local government units (LGUs) and qualified non-government organizations (NGOs) with proven track records in school-building projects to construct classrooms that meet the Department of Education’s standards and guidelines within their respective jurisdictions.
The League of Municipalities of the Philippines, headed by its national president, Echague Mayor Inno Dy; Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo; Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte; Tampakan Mayor Leonard Escobillo; Infanta, Quezon Mayor LA Ruanto; Marikina Mayor Maan Teodoro; and Akbayan Party-list Representatives Chel Diokno and Perci Cendana were among those who expressed support for Aquino’s measure.
Various vice governors, vice mayors, councilors, board members, and former local officials from across the Philippines also joined in expressing their support for the proposed legislation.
“Kaisa ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Quezon sa hangarin ni Senador Bam Aquino na mapabilis ang pagtatayo ng mga silid-aralan sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa pamamagitan ng Classroom-Building Acceleration Program,” said Belmonte.
“Patuloy nating tinutugunan ang pangangailangan sa mga silid-aralan sa Quezon City, at tiwala akong makatutulong ang programang ito upang mapabilis pa ang mga proyekto at matiyak na bawat bata ay may maayos at ligtas na espasyo para sa pagkatuto,” she added.
Belmonte also encouraged her fellow local chief executives to support this initiative and demonstrate that they are capable of upholding honest, efficient, and accountable governance.
Escobillo, who also serves as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines–South Cotabato Chapter and LMP vice president for the Mindanao Cluster, said local governments are more than willing and ready to take on this role and work with the national government to address the classroom backlog.
Teodoro shared the same sentiment and joined the growing call to transfer classroom construction functions to LGUs.
“Local governments are ready to build and complete more classrooms. We join the call of PBBM and Sen. Bam Aquino to devolve classroom construction to LGUs, ensuring faster implementation, better cost efficiency, and stronger accountability at the local level,” Teodoro said.
“It is critical that we prioritize the learning environments for the next generation. We fully support Senator Bam Aquino’s Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act, which will empower LGUs to build classrooms,” Ruanto added.
Diokno and Cendana likewise expressed their support for the measure, saying it will empower LGUs to construct quality and safe classrooms.
Leaders, fellows, and members of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership and the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation, led by Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, also added their voice to the growing clamor for Aquino’s measure, calling on the Chief Executive to certify this vital bill as urgent.
Aquino, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, earlier urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify the proposed measure as urgent to accelerate efforts to eliminate the country’s classroom backlog.
