The Cebu provincial government has accelerated the construction of classrooms to prevent students from suffering the impact of delays in national infrastructure projects. This move comes after education officials confirmed that no new DepEd-funded classroom projects have started in Central Visayas during the first six months of 2026.
Cebu Leads Local Government Action
This initiative positions Cebu as one of the leading local governments in the region to directly address the growing shortage of education infrastructure. According to officials, the backlog could worsen, especially given past calamities that damaged schools.
The local government intervention was ordered by Governor Pamela Baricuatro to protect students from the delays in national funding.
Critical Timing
The initiative comes at a critical time after Department of Education (DepEd) 7 Director Arturo Bayocot revealed during the DepEd 7 Brigada Eskwela program on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, that no new national classroom projects have started in Central Visayas this year. Responding to media queries, Bayocot stated that regional offices are still waiting for the DepEd Central Office to release the official priority list funded under the 2026 General Appropriations Act.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu on Thursday, June 4, Cebu Provincial School Board (CPSB) Secretary Christopher Baricuatro said the province has taken urgent action.
"The allocation of the province through SEF for TLS and for smart buildings will definitely play a big role in classroom construction," Baricuatro said. "Because, if we will have to wait for the DepEd through DPWH construction… this backlog will be affected. The students and learners will be affected. So, this is the initiative of the province."
Many students have been relying on temporary and makeshift facilities since the magnitude 6.9 earthquake and Typhoon Tino damaged schools in late 2025.
Local Funding and Plans
By using the local Special Education Fund (SEF), the province plans to build nearly 500 classrooms this year through a combination of Temporary Learning Shelters (TLS) and sustainable smart buildings.
Temporary Learning Shelters
For TLS, implementation has already begun, with construction of 252 TLS across Cebu province starting in mid-June to replace classrooms damaged by the earthquake and Typhoon Tino in 2025. The program was reduced from 269 classrooms because the approved P295.9 million budget is insufficient to cover higher logistical costs of transporting materials to island schools. However, an additional supplemental budget includes P20 million for TLS assistance.
Smart Buildings
For smart buildings, P700 million has been allocated, while part of the supplemental budget approved on Tuesday, June 2, provides an additional P100 million.
The allocations were finalized during the regular CPSB meeting on June 2, where the board approved a P367.9 million supplemental budget. This raises the province's total education allocation from P1.453 billion to P1.821 billion.
Although Baricuatro admitted he does not have exact data on the total classroom backlog, he estimates the shortage exceeds 1,000 classrooms in Cebu province.
