CABANATUAN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed a one-story, 213.75-square-meter multipurpose building at Valdefuente Elementary School in Cabanatuan City.
DPWH Nueva Ecija 2nd District Engineer Robert Jay Panaligan said the newly built, one-meter-elevated structure now houses two classrooms for the school’s 355 learners, aiming to provide a better educational environment and ease classroom congestion.
“Amid the country’s ongoing classroom shortage, the Department of Education’s (DepEd) January 2025 data reports a nationwide deficit of 165,443 classrooms, which, at the current pace, may take over two decades to resolve,” Panaligan shared.
He explained that the classroom deficit, along with the funding priorities of the Basic Educational Facilities Fund of DepEd, prompted the conversion of the multipurpose building into a school facility.
Meanwhile, OIC-Assistant District Engineer Leonora Cruz emphasized the need for efficient classroom construction, citing the urgency of the shortage and the commitment to accelerating infrastructure projects that improve students’ learning conditions.
“The completion of this new facility boosts the morale of students and teachers while underscoring the national government’s commitment to enhancing education and learning spaces,” Cruz stated.
Funded under the 2024 national budget with a total cost of P4.89 million, the project contributes to improving the school’s infrastructure and supports its educational objectives.
It reflects the national government’s continued effort to invest in education and enhance learning spaces across the country. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija)