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More than 300 local government officials, lawmakers, and community leaders have expressed firm support for the immediate passage of Senator Bam Aquino’s Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act — a measure designed to help resolve the classroom shortage in public schools across the Philippines.

Senate Bill No. 121, authored by Aquino, aims to decentralize the country’s classroom construction process. The proposed law empowers not only the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) but also local government units (LGUs) and qualified non-government organizations (NGOs) to build classrooms that adhere to the Department of Education’s standards and guidelines.

These LGUs and NGOs must have a proven record in implementing school-building projects and will be allowed to construct classrooms within their respective jurisdictions under the program.

By expanding the implementing network beyond the DPWH, the CAP Act seeks to accelerate the delivery of new classrooms, particularly in areas where the demand for educational infrastructure remains high.

The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), headed by its national president, Echague Mayor Inno Dy; Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo; Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte; Tampakan Mayor Leonard Escobillo; Infanta, Quezon Mayor LA Ruanto; Marikina Mayor Maan Teodoro; Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, and Akbayan Partylist Reps. Chel Diokno and Perci Cendana, were among those who expressed support for Aquino’s measure.

Various vice governors, vice mayors, councilors, board members, and former local officials from across the Philippines also joined in expressing support for the proposed legislation.

“Kaisa ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Quezon sa hangarin ni Senador Bam Aquino na mapabilis ang pagtatayo ng mga silid-aralan sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa pamamagitan ng Classroom-Building Acceleration Program,” Belmonte said.

“Patuloy nating tinutugunan ang pangangailangan sa mga silid-aralan sa Quezon City, at tiwala akong makatutulong ang programang ito upang mapabilis pa ang mga proyekto at matiyak na bawat bata ay may maayos at ligtas na espasyo para sa pagkatuto,” she added.

Belmonte also encouraged fellow Local Chief Executives (LCE) to back this endeavor of building classrooms and show that “we are capable of upholding honest, efficient, and accountable governance.”

Mayor Escobillo, who also serves as president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)–South Cotabato chapter and LMP vice president for the Mindanao cluster, said local governments are “more than willing and ready to take on this role and work with the national government to address the classroom backlog.”

Mayor Teodoro, for her part, shared the same sentiment and joined the growing clamor to transfer classroom construction functions to LGUs.

“Local governments are ready to build and complete more classrooms. We join the call of PBBM and Sen. Bam Aquino to devolve classroom construction to LGUs, ensuring faster implementation, better cost efficiency, and stronger accountability at the local level,” Teodoro said.

“It is critical that we prioritize the learning environments for the next generation. We fully support Senator Bam Aquino’s Classroom-building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, which will empower LGUs to build classrooms,” Ruanto said.

“Ang pagbibigay-kapangyarihan sa DepEd, LGUs, at NGOs na umaksyon at itayo ang mahahalagang espasyong ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa imprastraktura. Ito ay tungkol sa pamumuhunan sa mas magandang kinabukasan para sa bawat batang Pilipino, na nagbibigay sa kanila ng pantay na pagkakataon na matuto at umunlad,” he added.

“Ang mga local official ay direktang pinapanagot ng mga mamamayan sa kanilang mga desisyon, aksyon o kapabayaan. Kaya naman mabilis ang kanilang mga pagkilos,” Moreno said.

“Tama si Sen. Bam Aquino na mas mapapabilis ang konstruksyon ng mga paaralan kung ang mga local government mismo ang katuwang ng national government dito,” he added.

Diokno and Cendana also expressed support for the measure, saying it will empower LGUs in constructing quality and safe classrooms.

“The Administration should prioritize the welfare of our youth and certify this proposed measure as urgent so we can provide every Filipino student with a safe, complete, and conducive place to learn. Once enacted into law, this measure will empower local government units (LGUs) and qualified non-government organizations to take part in building classrooms efficiently and transparently,” Diokno stressed.

“We need the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act championed by Sen. Bam Aquino upang pabilisin ang pagpapatayo ng mga classrooms. Ma-e-empower natin ang mga local governments and NGOs na magtayo ng dagdag na silid aralan,” Cendana said, adding that quick action is needed to save the country’s education from the brink.

Leaders, fellows, and members of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership and the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation, led by Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, also added their voice to the growing clamor for Aquino’s measure, calling on the Chief Executive to certify this vital bill as urgent.

“The nation faces a significant, crisis-level shortage of classrooms and learning spaces, directly impacting the quality of education for millions of Filipino children. This legislative measure is crucial for immediately addressing this gap,” the group said.

Aquino, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, earlier urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify the proposed measure as urgent to accelerate efforts to eliminate the country’s classroom backlog.

If passed into law, Aquino said Senate Bill No. 121 will complement President Marcos’ directive to directly channel funds to LGUs to help speed up the construction of much-needed classrooms.

During the Senate hearing on the DPWH budget, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon expressed full support for Aquino’s proposal, saying the agency is open to partnerships that will help accelerate the construction of much-needed classrooms nationwide.

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FULL STATEMENTS FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS

Mayor Joy Belmonte

Quezon City

Kaisa ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Quezon sa hangarin ni Senador Bam Aquino na mapabilis ang pagtatayo ng mga silid-aralan sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa pamamagitan ng Classroom-Building Acceleration Program.

Patuloy nating tinutugunan ang pangangailangan sa mga silid-aralan sa Quezon City, at tiwala akong makatutulong ang programang ito upang mapabilis pa ang mga proyekto at matiyak na bawat bata ay may maayos at ligtas na espasyo para sa pagkatuto.

I also encourage my fellow Local Chief Executives to join this endeavor and show that we are capable of upholding honest, efficient, and accountable governance

Mayor Raisa Trenas

Iloilo City

I strongly support Senator Bam Aquino’s call for the Classroom Acceleration Program (CAP) Act to be certified as urgent. This measure will fast-track classroom construction nationwide and empower LGUs and private partners to help address the backlog.

Since 2019, the City Government has already built several classrooms through the Special Education Fund (SEF), yet these are still not enough to meet the city’s growing needs.

The CAP Act will greatly support and complement local efforts, allowing us to build more classrooms faster and ensure that every Ilonggo learner has access to safe and conducive spaces for learning.

Mayor Maan Teodoro 

Marikina City

Local governments are ready to build and complete more classrooms. We join the call of PBBM and Sen. Bam Aquino to devolve classroom construction to LGUs, ensuring faster implementation, better cost efficiency, and stronger accountability at the local level.

Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso

City of Manila 

Ang mga local official ay direktang pinapanagot ng mga mamamayan sa kanilang mga desisyon, aksyon o kapabayaan. Kaya naman mabilis ang kanilang mga pagkilos. 

Tama si Sen Bam Aquino na mas mapapabilis ang konstruksyon ng mga paaralan kung ang mga local government mismo ang katuwang ng national government dito.  – Mayor Isko Moreno

Mayor LA Ruanto

Infanta, Quezon

It is critical that we prioritize the learning environments for the next generation. We fully support Senator Bam Aquino’s Classroom-building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, which will empower LGUs to build classrooms. 

Bawat araw na walang maayos na silid-aralan ay araw na nakokompromiso ang pag-aaral ng isang bata. Higit pa sa mga gusali ang kailangan natin; kailangan natin ng ligtas at angkop na kapaligiran na nagpapakita sa mga bata na pinahahalagahan ang kanilang edukasyon at kabuoang paghubog.

Ang pagbibigay-kapangyarihan sa DepEd, LGUs, at NGOs na umaksyon at itayo ang mahahalagang espasyong ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa imprastraktura. Ito ay tungkol sa pamumuhunan sa mas magandang kinabukasan para sa bawat batang Pilipino, na nagbibigay sa kanila ng pantay na pagkakataon na matuto at umunlad.

Mayor Leonard T. Escobillo

Tampakan

We fully support Sen. Aquino’s CAP Act, which will empower LGUs to build classrooms. Local governments are more than willing and ready to take on this role and work with the national government to address the classroom backlog.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno

Ang mga local official ay direktang pinapanagot ng mga mamamayan sa kanilang mga desisyon, aksyon o kapabayaan. Kaya naman mabilis ang kanilang mga pagkilos. Tama si Sen. Bam Aquino na mas mapapabilis ang konstruksyon ng mga paaralan kung ang mga local government mismo ang katuwang ng national government dito.

Rep. Chel Diokno

Akbayan Partylist

Tinimbang ang Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ngunit kulang. Hindi katanggap-tanggap na 22 lang ang naitayong classroom ngayong taon, sa kabila ng napakalaking pondong inilaan dito.

Suportado natin ang panukala ni Senador Bam Aquino na pabilisin ang pagtatayo ng mga silid-aralan sa pamamagitan ng Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act upang mahabol ang classroom backlog sa mga pampublikong paaralan.

The Administration should prioritize the welfare of our youth and certify this proposed measure as urgent so we can provide every Filipino student with a safe, complete, and conducive place to learn.

Once enacted into law, this measure will empower local government units (LGUs) and qualified non-government organizations to take part in building classrooms efficiently and transparently.

Rep. Perci Cendana

Akbayan Partylist

Our students deserve better from our government. Hindi acceptable ang 145,000 na backlog ng ating classrooms. Hindi acceptable na magsiksikan sila sa mga bulok at substandard classrooms. Our kids deserve quality and safe classrooms.

We need the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act championed by Sen. Bam Aquino upang pabilisin ang pagpapatayo ng mga classrooms. Ma-eempower natin ang mga local governments and NGOs na magtayo ng dagdag na silid aralan. 

Nasa bingit na ang ating education system. Aksyunan na natin habang kaya pang ma-agapan.

Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership and the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation

We, the leaders, fellows, and members of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership and the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation, wholeheartedly express our robust support for Senator Bam Aquino’s Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act (Senate Bill No. 121).

We urgently call upon President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to certify this vital bill as urgent. The nation faces a significant, crisis-level shortage of classrooms and learning spaces, directly impacting the quality of education for millions of Filipino children. This legislative measure is crucial for immediately addressing this gap.

This program is more than just construction; it is a critical investment in our youth and a reflection of our shared commitment to ensuring every Filipino child has access to safe, well-equipped, and conducive learning environments. By prioritizing partnership with local government units and communities, the Act embodies the core principles of people-centered governance and participatory leadership championed by the late Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Accelerating classroom construction nationwide will not only resolve the infrastructure deficit but will also strengthen the necessary collaboration between national and local leaders to advance essential education reform.

We stand united with Senator Aquino in this effort to secure the future of our children and build a better, fairer, and more hopeful Philippines for every Filipino family.