69% of public schools still without titles – EDCOM 2This photo taken on March 21, 2025, shows students gathering for a physical education class at a high school in Baseco, Manila. MANILA, Philippines — At least 69 percent of public schools nationwide remain untitled to the Department of Education (DepEd), delaying much-needed classroom construction and worsening congestion, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) reported yesterday. As of May this year, only 7,075 public schools, or 16 percent, are titled to DepEd, while the titling process is ongoing for 7,373 schools. Meanwhile, 32,424 public schools, or 69 percent, remain untitled, with 6,045 of them already experiencing congestion. Beyond land ownership issues, the commission attributed severe classroom congestion to unplanned housing developments and weak inter-agency coordination, citing Naic, Cavite, as an example.