THE Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Davao Region (ACT-Davao) said it will fully support the nationwide sit-down strike and will hold alternative classes that discuss corruption, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and the neglect of the education sector.
ACT-Davao Union President Reynaldo S. Pardillo said they are joining the strike because classrooms are collapsing, putting students’ safety at risk. He said billions intended for education are being diverted to confidential funds and into the pockets of the corrupt.
“This is not about convenience — this is about survival. This is not about politics — this is about our children’s future,” he said.
Pardillo said teachers have long been told to be patient and wait for reforms, but these reforms have never materialized. He added that while teachers are being urged to wait, funds meant for the education sector are funneled into confidential allocations, and there is zero accountability for overpriced infrastructure projects that collapse during the rainy season.
He said teachers are now being red-tagged, surveilled, and threatened simply for advocating safe schools and living wages. He stressed that they will not be silenced or intimidated.
He emphasized that education is a human right, and so are the rights to organize, protest, and demand dignity and safety. These, he said, are not privileges but fundamental freedoms.
During the strike, teachers will conduct alternative classes focusing on corruption, bureaucratic failures, and the neglect of the education system. Pardillo said they will teach students about injustice, how to stand against it, where classroom funds go, and why teachers are compelled to strike.
He said the strike is not just about teachers — rather, it is about all Filipinos who watch public funds disappear and witness the deterioration of public services. The strike, he said, is for every parent worried about their child’s safety in school and for every worker denied a living wage while those in power live comfortably.
Pardillo also urged parents, students, and the public to value education and support the sit-down strike. He said the public must listen to the concerns raised by teachers and join their call for accountability.
Classroom shortage and repairs
Pardillo said the classroom strike is a response to government neglect, noting that 167,000 classrooms nationwide are still considered unsafe.
He added that while thousands of classrooms remain unrepaired, ₱10 billion is being allocated to confidential funds — ₱7.3 billion of which could instead be used for classroom construction.
Earlier, Department of Education-Davao City Schools Division Superintendent Reynante Solitario said the city faces a shortage of at least 4,053 classrooms, based on the standard ratio of one classroom per 30 elementary pupils.
He expressed hope that the local government would soon implement the needed program and assured that DepEd–Davao City is ready to provide the necessary documentation for the construction of additional classrooms.
To cope with the shortage, some schools across the city are implementing shifting schedules.
Addressing the classroom shortage
Meanwhile, Davao City Councilor Petite Principe, chair of the committee on education, said during the Pulong-Pulong sa Dabawenyos on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, that they are fast-tracking documentation for the construction of more schools in the city to address the shortage.
“We really want to come up with buildings in order to address it. Especially in far-flung areas, where we need to build more,” she said.
She explained that several schools in the city have land titles under the local government, but lack proper documentation, often hindering construction.
Principe said the city has funds for classroom construction but cannot proceed due to incomplete documentation. RGP