The Department of Education (DepEd) has confirmed that it has not yet tapped the Armed Forces of the Philippines Corps of Engineers (AFP CE) to handle the construction of school classrooms, despite earlier discussions and calls to fast-track infrastructure to address the growing shortage.
In recent hearings, Education Secretary Sonny Angara pointed out that the current process — where most school-building projects are handled by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) — has proved too slow and uncovers persistent bottlenecks. He noted that only a small fraction of the targeted classrooms have been completed this year under the DPWH-led mechanism.
In response, DepEd is exploring a systemic change: starting 2026, it plans to give classroom-construction funds directly to local government units (LGUs), the AFP Corps of Engineers, or the private sector. This shift aims to speed up delivery, increase accountability, and finally meet the target of approximately 40,000 new classrooms by 2028.
While the AFP option is listed as a possibility, DepEd emphasises that no formal engagement has yet been made with AFP engineers. The department continues to study logistics, accreditation procedures, cost ceilings and design standards before bringing in new partners. LGUs and private-sector partners appear to be the more immediate alternatives being activated.