New tech eyed for speedy school construction

MANILA, Philippines — Modern construction technologies are being explored by the public works and education departments to accelerate classroom building nationwide.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Monday inspected a precast manufacturing facility in Mariveles, Bataan.

Using precast materials, Dizon explained, merely involves the delivery of precast building modules to construction sites and assembly of modules into structures.

Suppliers are responsible for the delivery of precast materials and its assembly into full structures, he noted.

Precast modules would enable speedy construction, completion within 30 days, Dizon said.

Once contracts are finalized by mid-March, the awarding process is expected to take around 30 days, he noted.

During the visit, Dizon and Angara also examined modular and precast structures that can be used as classrooms.

These units are seen as practical solutions to the growing demand for learning spaces, especially in public schools with overcrowded facilities.

The Philippines has a classroom shortage of 165,443, which could worsen as around 51,000 aging classrooms are projected to be condemned by 2028, the Second Congressional Commission on Education has warned.