SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday raised alarm over the Department of Education’s slow fund utilization, particularly in addressing the country’s long-standing classroom shortage, now estimated at 157,000 nationwide.

During the Senate deliberation on DepEd’s 2026 budget, Gatchalian stressed that inefficiencies in fund disbursement and project implementation continue to hamper the delivery of essential services to millions of students.

“Definitely, education is a priority for the Senate. But we are flagging the department that we have to look at utilization and adjust management on how to utilize the funds,” Gatchalian said.

The senator also pointed to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for delays in classroom construction, noting that 82 percent of projects remain under validation by the third quarter of the year, when many should have already been completed.

Gatchalian urged DepEd to adopt innovative measures to ensure classrooms are delivered on time, warning that further delays would only worsen the learning crisis and overcrowding in public schools.

The Senate, he added, remains committed to supporting education but expects agencies to maximize resources efficiently and translate funds into tangible results for learners and teachers.