MANILA, Feb. 3 -- The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday inaugurated a new building at the Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales Integrated School (SPNAGIS) in Mandaluyong City, as it ramps up efforts to address the country's classroom backlogs.

"Ito ang kauna-unahang eskwelahan na napuntahan namin sa buong kapuluan, sa buong Pilipinas, na may surplus. Bihirang-bihira po ito. Palagay ko, one-of-a-kind ito (This is the very first school I went to, in the entire Philippines with a surplus. This is very rare. I think it's one-of-a-kind)," DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement.

Angara led the inauguration of a new 24-classroom building in the SPNAGIS, increasing its overall classrooms to 96.

These include 21 specialized la...