PRIORITIZATION GAME: Western Visayas Needs Over 14,000 Classrooms

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By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Department of Education (DepEd) Western Visayas revealed during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum on Tuesday, October 15, that the region needs 14,178 additional classrooms to address the ongoing shortage. This shortage has put the agency in a “prioritization game” to identify which municipalities need them most.

DepEd-Western Visayas Regional Director Dr. Ramir Uytico emphasized that while the region currently has 62,263 instructional classrooms based on the National School Building Inventory for School Year 2022-2023, this number is insufficient to meet the demands of the student population.

“The region has a substantial shortage of classrooms. Every time we attend budget hearings in Congress or the Senate, we present our data on the need for more classrooms. But in reality, it’s a matter of prioritization—while the need is clear, the available budget is limited,” Uytico explained.

He stressed that prioritization is crucial because many other regions in the country are also experiencing classroom shortages.

Of the existing classrooms, 11,365 require major repairs, 11,551 need minor repairs, 1,443 are considered unsafe and must be condemned, and 316 are already condemned or set for demolition.

Negros Occidental and Iloilo Province have been identified as the divisions with the most urgent need for additional classrooms. Negros Occidental requires over 7,800, while Iloilo needs 1,600 more.

Uytico noted that a comprehensive needs assessment has already been submitted to the national office.

He further explained that resource allocation and classroom construction are not automatic due to required validation processes, including the need to secure land for building.

“If the land isn’t owned by DepEd, it will be difficult,” Uytico stated.

To address the shortage, DepEd-Western Visayas is exploring alternative strategies, including public-private partnerships, the use of Jalandoni Estate Funds, and collaboration with local government units (LGUs) through the Special Education Fund (SEF).

As of September 16, the department reported a total enrollment of 1,930,178 learners for School Year 2024-2025. This includes 1,727,920 in public schools, 176,480 in private schools, 3,097 in SUCs/LUCs, and 22,681 in the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

The enrollment breakdown includes 906,683 elementary students, 579,301 in junior high school, 301,549 in senior high school, and 119,964 in kindergarten.