Turning idle POGO facilities into classrooms to address the school shortage

SENATOR Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino IV has issued a 2026 deadline to end the “inhumane” 5:00 am school shifts that force Filipino children to commute in the pre-dawn darkness.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Aquino is pushing for the construction of at least 26,000 new classrooms within the calendar year.

The strategy involves more than just new construction; it calls for the radical “repurposing” of abandoned POGO hubs, underutilized BPO offices, and closed private schools.

“Kung meron po kayong mga building na tingin po ninyo pwede pong magamit, mga private school na nagsara, baka may mga lumang POGO dyan na walang tao, baka may mga building po dyan na pwedeng outright bilhin, pwede rin po yun. We included that in the special provision as another modality,” Aquino said.

The push comes as the country faces a staggering 165,000-classroom shortage. In congested regions like Metro Manila and Cavite, the lack of space has forced students into back-to-back shifts, with some Kindergarten classes starting as early as 5:45 am.

“Kailangan po nating magsama-sama para magtayo ng mga silid-aralan para sa estudyanteng Pilipino na sa kasalukuyan ay nagshi-shifting, nagsisiksikan sa mga classroom or nagkaklase sa mga pasilyo sa labas ng eskwelahan or nagshe-share ng mga covered courts kung saan back to back to back to back sila,” the Senator added.

While P67.9 billion is currently earmarked for classrooms, the Department of Education (DepEd) often struggles to find buildable land. Aquino’s solution is to fast-track Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and utilize a “Green Lane” for permits to bypass the bureaucratic red tape that usually stretches construction times to three years.

“Mahalaga na makita natin na nagagamit ang pondong ito na nagagawa ang mga classroom sa tamang presyo, sa tamang paraan, at sa tamang panahon. Uulitin ko po, sa tamang presyo, sa tamang paraan, at sa tamang panahon,” Aquino emphasized.

With a 16,000-classroom PPP batch already approved as of January 8, the Senator warned that 2026 is the critical turning point to prevent another generation of students from “suffering” in overcrowded hallways.