BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

The Department of Education (DepEd) has brought together its Adopt-a-School partners and private sector allies for a Classroom Market Scoping Activity—a key step toward mobilizing more partners to help address the country’s classroom backlog through transparent, standards-based collaboration. 

“Unang-una, prayoridad natin ang masiguro na maayos at matibay ang mga maipapatayo nating silid-aralan sa tulong ng ating partners. Nais din ng ating mahal na Pangulo, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., na mataas ang kalidad ng ating mga pasilidad sa mga susunod na taon,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.  

The activity presented DepEd’s latest classroom design and technical specifications, including those for Integrated Learning Resource Centers (ILRCs) and WASH facilities, and provided updates on procurement modalities—particularly Negotiated Procurement and the Adopt-A-School Program (ASP)—to help partners align their projects with DepEd’s standards. 

The activity builds on DepEd’s series of market scoping sessions for Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS), Supplementary Learning Resources (SLRs), and education technology solutions, which have helped the Department map out supply availability, cost efficiency, and logistical feasibility for critical learning resources. 

More importantly, the engagement served as a working dialogue with partners to discuss financing models, implementation strategies, and entry points for collaboration under the Adopt-A-School framework. 

“Isa pong goal ng Market Scoping ay transparency,” Undersecretary for Procurement and Finance Oversight Rowena Candice Ruiz said. “We’re calling everyone in—we are presenting what we need, and we are making it known to our partners what our children need for their classrooms.” 

By opening its procurement pipeline and design plans, DepEd aims to bridge information gaps between the Department and potential implementers, making it easier for partners to identify viable investment areas and accelerate classroom construction nationwide. 

“This activity affirms the Department’s commitment to providing conducive learning spaces while upholding accountability and transparency,” Usec. Ruiz added. “We are opening our doors so our partners can clearly see how they can support not just DepEd, but our learners, teachers, and schools.” 

The event gathered key development and corporate partners, including Aboitiz, Angat Buhay, the Asian Development Bank, Ayala Foundation, Inc., China Bank Savings, City Savings Bank, Inc., the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), Generation Hope, Globe, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Hawkstow Construction and Development, Hybrid Solutions Asia, Jollibee Foods Corporation, EM Cuerpo, Inc. Construction, Net Solar, One Meralco Foundation, Republic Biscuit Corporation, Security Bank Foundation, and the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, among others. 

Hosted at the Senate President Neptali Gonzales Integrated School in Mandaluyong City, the activity marks another milestone in DepEd’s ongoing effort to build stronger bridges with the private sector toward the shared vision of quality education for every Filipino learner. 

DepEd also announced plans to convene partners once more in November 2025 at the Classroom Summit in Clark, Pampanga, to finalize partnership models and formalize commitments forged through the market scoping process. 

*All Photos from DepEd