File photo shows classrooms at Aurora Quezon Elementary School in San Andres, Manila, following the resumption of in-person classes last year. (RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� An alliance of teachers on Saturday called on the government to focus on building more classrooms and address the nationwide shortage issue.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said the current administration should allocate more funding to the education sector, noting that the Build Better More infrastructure program has a P1.2 trillion budget for this year, while classroom construction only has a budget of P15.6 billion.听
Instead of building more bridges, airports and seaports, Quetua stressed that the 165,000 classroom shortage, which affects 20 percent of Filipino learners, should be addressed.
听鈥淲hy not ensure that P100 billion of the infrastructure budget be allocated to classroom building to resolve the classroom shortage decisively?鈥� said Quetua in a statement.听
听In response to the Department of Education鈥檚 push to secure foreign and private funding to resolve the issue, Quetua said that the budget should come from citizens鈥� taxes, which are primarily allocated for these services.听
鈥淏ig and overpriced infrastructure projects benefitted foreign construction companies and the pockets of corrupt officials more than it did the interests of the people,鈥� he said.
听鈥淪ayang ang pera sa mga mapagkunwaring magagarbong tulay na may magagarang ilaw habang ang mamamayan ay nagugutom at mangmang,鈥� Quetua concluded.
(Money is wasted on fancy bridge projects with fancy lights while the people are hungry and ignorant.)