Capitalallocates a billion dollars to address educational deficit in schools
Cebu Province Taps into Special Education Fund to Address Classroom Crisis
A severe shortage of over 3,000 classrooms in Cebu, just before the School Year 2025-2026, has prompted the provincial government to take urgent action. The Cebu Provincial Government has decided to utilize the unspent Special Education Fund (SEF) balance, amounting to over P1 billion, to construct new school buildings and repair damaged ones.
The delay in releasing Special Education Funds (SEF) in Cebu was primarily due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and typhoon recovery efforts, compounded by a slow approval process characterized by infrequent Provincial School Board meetings. These delays have resulted in a significant underutilization of SEF, accumulating to more than P1 billion in unspent funds as of July 2025.
The SEF is collected from a one percent real property tax for education projects, including construction, repairs, supplies, and salaries. The Provincial School Board, chaired by the governor and with DepEd 7 input, will formally approve which projects to fund.
The Cebu Provincial Government's plans include building new classrooms, repairing and rehabilitating old or damaged buildings, buying school supplies, hiring more teachers, and launching feeding programs. The funds from the Special Education Fund (SEF) have no expiration and no annual spending limit, ensuring that the necessary educational infrastructure can be addressed in a timely manner.
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro and Provincial Administrator Joseph "Ace" Durano have promised transparency and speed in using the SEF funds. Durano stated that this is a priority for the governor, and the funds will be used to serve educational needs rather than letting them accumulate.
Thousands of students could see safer, better learning spaces by the start of a new school year with these urgent actions and new leadership. The governor and provincial administrator have promised "more new buildings" for students and teachers.
The SEF collection in Cebu amounts to approximately P600 million per year. As of July 22, the Cebu's SEF trust fund had a balance of P1,083,358,000. With this substantial amount, Cebu has the resources to address its classroom crisis.
Many schools are still damaged from Typhoon Odette (December 2021) or are using makeshift facilities due to pandemic delays. The Cebu Provincial Government's decision to release the SEF funds comes at a critical time, as the 2025-2026 school year approaches and the need for safe and adequate learning spaces is more urgent than ever. The Provincial School Board has been ordered to convene in August to discuss and approve the projects that will be funded with the SEF.
In summary, the Cebu Provincial Government is taking action to address the severe shortage of classrooms in the province by tapping into the unspent SEF funds. The funds will be used for building new school buildings and repairing damaged ones, ensuring that students and teachers have safe and adequate learning spaces for the upcoming school year. The SEF collection in Cebu amounts to approximately P600 million per year, and as of July 2025, the SEF trust fund had a balance of P1,083,358,000.
- The Cebu Provincial Government, in response to a classroom crisis, has chosen to utilize the unused balance of over P1 billion from the Special Education Fund (SEF), primarily accumulated due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, typhoon recovery efforts, and infrequent Provincial School Board meetings.
- The unspent SEF funds, collected from a one percent real property tax for education projects, will be allocated towards constructing new school buildings, repairing old or damaged ones, buying school supplies, hiring more teachers, and launching feeding programs.
- The investment in education-and-self-development is a crucial priority for Cebu's governor, Pamela Baricuatro, and Provincial Administrator, Joseph "Ace" Durano, who have promised a transparent and speedy use of the SEF funds to ensure improvements in education and creating safer learning environments for thousands of students.
- With the SEF collection in Cebu amounting to approximately P600 million per year and a current balance of P1,083,358,000, the government hopes to address the urgent need for learning spaces, particularly in view of ongoing issues such as damage from Typhoon Odette and pandemic-related delays, as the 2025-2026 school year approaches.
