EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara called for stronger partnerships with the private sector, underscoring the role of public-private partnerships in leveraging private investments for education.

Angara emphasized the importance of focusing on the socio-economic impact of projects to fast-track critical education reforms.

“This administration has sent very clear signals that it wants to work with the private sector and that it needs the private sector. Another change that President Marcos has initiated is placing human development and human infrastructure at the core of PPPs—not just physical development or building structures,” Angara said during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Editors and Economic Opinion Leaders Forum 2026 held at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati City.

With a total project cost of ₱105.7 billion, the Department of Education is set to construct more than 16,000 new classrooms in high-need areas nationwide through the PPP for School Infrastructure Program III. The initiative is part of the Marcos administration’s push to modernize school infrastructure and address critical learning gaps.

Under a Build-Lease-and-Transfer modality, private partners will finance and construct the classrooms, ensuring on-time delivery and proper maintenance throughout the concession period. Payments will be made through availability payments sourced from DepEd’s annual budget.