Some PHP105.7 billion has been allocated for the public-private partnership for school infrastructure project phase III (PSIP III) by the Economy and Development Council (ED Council), the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said Friday.
DEPDev, in a news release, said the ED Council, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the funding intended to accelerate inclusive growth and investments in human capital during its meeting on Thursday.
It said PSIP III, which is under the supervision of the Department of Education (DepEd), aims to construct around 16,459 new classrooms in 1,095 existing schools in Luzon from March 2027 to March 2028, benefitting at least 800,000 learners per year.
Under the program, a solicited PPP modality and a Build-Lease-and-Transfer contractual arrangement will be in place to address delays experienced in conventional procurement.
It is aimed to complement DepEd’s bid to construct about 25,000 classrooms under this year’s national budget.
“Addressing critical infrastructure gaps in education is central to sustaining growth and achieving our development targets. By investing in classrooms that strengthen learning outcomes, we are laying the foundation for higher productivity, stronger human capital, and inclusive growth,” DEPDev Secretary and ED Council Vice-Chair Arsenio Balisacan said.
Mindanao road project
Aside from the classroom construction funding, ED Council also approved the PHP145.56-billion official development assistance project dubbed Central Mindanao High Standard Highway Construction Project – Cagayan de Oro-Malaybalay Section of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
The project entails the construction of around 64.7 kilometers of four-lane road that will pass through Tagoloan and Cagayan de Oro in Misamis Oriental, as well as Manolo Fortich, Sumilao, Impasugong and Malaybalay in Bukidnon.
It also entails the construction of 47 bridges, nine of which are special long-span bridges that will help shorten the travel time between the two metropolitan centers from 6.5 hours to 3.5 hours.
“Improving connectivity between CDO and Bukidnon is a welcome development as we continuously revitalize the Mindanao’s regional economy. Beyond reducing travel time, this project is expected to generate jobs during construction and operation, stimulate local businesses, and attract new investments. By enhancing market access and mobility, it will help reduce poverty, raise incomes, and boost overall economic activity in the area, creating long-term benefits for communities across the region,” Balisacan said.
Agriculture
The Council also approved the PHP 28.24-billion “Pang-Agraryong Tulay para sa Bagong Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka (PBBM) Bridges Project,” which aims to improve market access and rural connectivity for Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) and the productivity and incomes of at least 350,000 households.
This involves the construction of better and well-designed durable, permanent modular steel bridges to link ARCs with growth centers and key value chain nodes.
The ED Council also approved the adjustment to the Farm-to-Market Bridges Development Program implementation period from fiscal year (FY) 2025-2028 to FY 2026-2029.
Th PHP27.69-billion program is targeted to construct 300 modular steel panel bridges in 15 regions to help farmers, fisherfolk and rural residents.
“The Marcos administration recognizes the crucial role of rural infrastructure in stimulating economic growth. These projects go beyond engineering solutions — they are strategic interventions to transform subsistence farming and fishing into competitive, profitable enterprises,” Balisacan said. (PNA)