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PASIG CITY, April 8, 2022 – Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones emphasized the necessity of creating more conducive learning spaces during the Launching of the Medium-Rise School Building Designs Exhibit at the Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office.

“I would like to thank our friends and partners who have conceptualized solutions and designs of school buildings, which are appropriate to the call of the times, appropriate for the needs for more space, and greater safety for our learners,” Secretary Briones said.

The Education Chief also recognized that there is not much land or property to build more schools in highly urbanized areas. She stressed that mid-rise buildings are the best creative solution that we can adapt to save on space.

“We can be late for many things, but we cannot be late for the future and this effort, responding to the need for space, is a response to the call of the future for space in education, for places for our children to learn and to play,” Briones emphasized.

The medium-high rise school building design will be constructed in highly urbanized areas with a dense population but limited land areas for development.

DepEd proposed varied designs ranging from at least five to 12 floors or even higher, while the number of floors will depend on the classroom needs of the school, the available building space, the type of soil, and the projected enrollment population for the next 15-25 years.

“Ito ang sagot natin sa classroom shortage lalong-lalo na sa mga siyudad. It is brought about by growing population of urban dwellers and because of the limited land area of school sites,” Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del B. Pascua said.

“The only solution we can do is to go up, instead of expanding sideways, which we cannot because of the limitations of land or school sites, the only thing possible now is to go up and build the medium to high rise school building,” Usec. Pascua added.

Furthermore, the school buildings will be made with the latest construction technologies consistent with the National Building Code of the Philippines. The Department’s Minimum Performance and Standard Specifications (MPSS) were also incorporated into the plans to optimize the use of the new school building designs.

In the exhibit, the Department also highlighted its accomplishments in other flagship projects, such as the Last Mile Schools program and the Gabaldon Heritage School conservation program.

The said program was attended by the members of the DepEd Executive Committee. At the same time, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was represented by Acting Secretary Roger Mercado and Assistant Secretary Antonio Molano.

The DPWH mentioned that the construction of these proposed high-rise buildings may be facilitated through the LGUs under the Mandanas law or a Memorandum of Agreement with DepEd.

“Rest assured that the DPWH will continuously support the DepEd in whatever capacity to facilitate the construction of these high-rise school buildings,” DPWH Acting Secretary Mercado said.

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