INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Students and teachers can expect the construction of more classrooms nationwide following the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) approval of P303.5 million for constructing 120 classrooms in 21 sites in the country.
In a statement on Wednesday, DBM said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Education (DepEd) jointly requested the release of these funds under the second batch of Basic Education Facilities (BEF) in 2023.
DBM noted that Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman had endorsed the request made by DPWH and DepEd once all necessary conditions for the fund’s release were met.
The requirements consist of a list of schools endorsed by the DepEd Undersecretaries for School Infrastructure and Facilities and Finance; Budget Execution Document No. 1-Financial Plan; Physical Plan; and Monthly Disbursement Program, the statement explained.
“The total authorized appropriation for Special Provisions in the FY 2023 DepEd budget of P15.7 billion is being implemented by DPWH. This includes P15.6 billion for the construction, replacement, and completion of kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school buildings and technical vocational laboratories, among others,” the statement read.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, for her part, emphasized the need to strengthen the education sector as a crucial factor in promoting the country’s social and human development.
“Education is a chance for every Filipino to improve his or her quality of life. Education empowers us to achieve genuine prosperity as well. But it is also a shared responsibility to work together for the country to achieve complete economic healing and recovery,” the budget secretary said.
“Let us continue to invest in education,” Pangandaman added.