Led by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, teachers held a protest in Mendiola, Manila on June 16 to mark the opening day of classes. They condemned the Marcos regime for its continued neglect of the dire state of education in the country.

According to ACT Philippines, government neglect further pulls down the quality of education and worsens school conditions. “We will once again confront a school year under a severely insufficiently funded education system that has overwhelming shortages and a continuing decline in quality,” the group’s chairperson Vladimer Quetua said.

He stated that every year, teachers are burdened with the responsibility of addressing many shortages in schools—from cleaning and repairing classrooms to meeting students’ needs. “We bear the brunt of this systemic neglect, and today’s protest is our call for government to finally carry the heavier burden it owes to Filipino learners and educators,” Quetua added.

At present, the Philippines faces a shortage of 165,000 classrooms. This situation forces schools to implement two or even three shifts of classes just to accommodate students.

This also leads to classes being held in makeshift classrooms, under trees, and the continued use of “blended learning,” which causes further deteriorates in the quality of students’ learning. With the current level of government funding for education, addressing the massive classroom shortage will take an estimated 30 to 55 years.

In addition, the Department of Education (DepEd) has recorded a shortage of nearly 56,000 teachers nationwide. ACT Philippines, however, believes that meeting the international standard class size of 35 students per class will require an additional 150,000 teachers.

ACT Philippines has previously called on the government of the Philippines to create a long-term plan to address the education crisis. “These demands fell on deaf ears, dismissed as unrealistic and impossible, while millions were squandered on confidential and intelligence funds,” Quetua said.

As a symbolic demonstration of the state of education in the country, teachers and parents brought chairs and set up a classroom at the protest in Mendiola. They carried learning materials and cleaning supplies to show that teachers and parents are suffering from the government’s neglect.

That day, ACT Philippines leaders, its affiliated unions, and ACT Teachers Party-list representatives also launched their “Bisita Eskwela” in the National Capital Region. They visited schools to check on teachers, listen to their grievances, and express solidarity with the hardships and challenges they endure.

Meanwhile, ACT Philippines condemend DepEd officials for reportedly prohibiting teachers from speaking to or being interviewed by the media to prevent them from exposing issues and concerns on the first day of classes. The group said that the education crisis in the country can only be addressed if the government acknowledges it, instead of covering it up and hiding it.