SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to work closely with the Department of Education (DepEd) in addressing classroom shortages across the country, saying the government’s school building program must promote equity among students regardless of region.

Cayetano cited data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which showed that thousands of public schools continue to operate on double or triple shifts due to the lack of classrooms.

“I have here a one-page summary from EDCOM that says 36,559 schools are single-shift, 2,591 are double-shift, and 216 are triple-shift. If you can form a task force, there are many reasons why this issue was neglected,” he told DPWH Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon.

Cayetano noted that most triple-shift schools are concentrated in seven regions, including the National Capital Region, Region 10, Region 4A, and Region 3, adding that such conditions make learning unequal among Filipino students.

“Not only should you coordinate with DepEd, but it would also be good to have a task force. The problem with three-shift schools is that they often lack available rooms. A new school is needed so other students can transfer,” he said.

The senator explained that multiple class shifts in many public schools mean students in those areas receive less learning time compared to those in better-equipped regions.

He said this disparity should guide how the government allocates funds for classroom construction.

Cayetano also cited Taguig City’s experience in building multi-storey school facilities to maximize space and serve more students.

“For example, in Taguig, we started building seven-story schools with elevators,” he said.

The senator further urged the DPWH to coordinate with DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in designing and prioritizing new academic buildings, stressing that education infrastructure must reflect fairness and inclusivity in national development.

“If you’re talking to CHED and they want to build specially designed academic buildings, this is where coordination becomes important,” he said.

Cayetano emphasized that the goal of good governance is not just for one department to perform well but for all agencies to share responsibility and deliver results together.

“For you to be able to do your job, other departments must also do theirs,” he said.