THE SECOND Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has raised concerns over worsening classroom congestion in rapidly growing communities, warning that unplanned housing developments and weak coordination among government agencies are aggravating the country’s education crisis.

EDCOM 2 cited Naic, Cavite as a prime example of how rapid residential expansion without corresponding school infrastructure has overwhelmed public schools, leaving thousands of students in overcrowded and inadequate learning spaces.

According to the commission, Naic is now home to 48 low-cost housing projects that have brought in thousands of new residents without sufficient educational facilities for school-age children. Between the end of the school year in March and the opening of classes in June, enrollment in the municipality increased by 5,450 students, resulting in an immediate shortage of 135 classrooms based on the Department of Education’s standard ratio of one classroom for every 40 learners.

Several schools have experienced sharp increases in enrollment. Muzon Elementary School saw its student population grow from 605 to 1,519 in just three months, while Timalan Hills View recorded an increase from 6,500 to 7,459 students despite having only 32 classrooms.

Senate Committee on Basic Education Chairperson and EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Sen. Bam Aquino underscored the impact of classroom shortages on learners.

“The true measure of success is not how much funding has been allocated, but how many classrooms have actually been built and how quickly students are able to use them,” Aquino said, adding that every day of delay in classroom construction forces more children to endure overcrowded learning conditions.

EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee presented photographs from the commission’s field consultations showing students attending classes in temporary tents and converted housing units. He said some classrooms designed for 40 students are now accommodating as many as 80 learners, with monoblock chairs replacing traditional desks to maximize limited space.

The commission attributed the problem to outdated regulations and poor coordination among government agencies. Under the 2008 Implementing Rules and Regulations of Batas Pambansa Blg. 220, housing developers are required to allocate land for schools only if a single development contains more than 1,500 housing units.

EDCOM 2 said the policy fails to account for the combined impact of multiple smaller housing projects built in close proximity, such as the 48 developments in Naic, which collectively have significantly increased the demand for classrooms.

Although the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2025 to improve planning for future housing developments, the commission noted that local governments have yet to receive concrete solutions for the 58 housing projects already established in heavily congested areas across Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.

Yee questioned how many other communities across the country are experiencing similar enrollment surges and whether stronger coordination between DepEd and DHSUD could have prevented students from losing regular access to classrooms because of overcrowding.

He also urged DepEd and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to issue a joint memorandum circular clearly defining each agency’s responsibilities in planning, funding, and constructing schools in resettlement and housing areas.

According to Yee, stronger coordination mechanisms are urgently needed to ensure that DepEd, DHSUD, and DILG work together in providing educational facilities alongside new housing developments.

EDCOM 2 likewise called for the immediate amendment of the BP 220 regulations to address the cumulative effects of clustered low-cost housing projects. The commission warned that without prompt policy reforms and synchronized action among government agencies, overcrowded classrooms will continue to burden Filipino teachers and learners.