Sara-era DepEd quizzed on laptops

The Department of Education (DepEd) came under intense scrutiny on Monday at the House of Representatives for allegedly failing to deliver nearly 20,000 laptops worth P9.17 billion in 2023, despite the growing need for them in public schools.

At Monday’s hearing on the agency’s 2025 proposed budget, DepEd Information and Communications Technology Service Director Ferdinand Pitagan confirmed that 12,022 laptops for teachers and 7,558 for non-teaching personnel went undelivered by the end of 2023.

The budget for the laptops was part of an P11.36-billion fund the DepEd had requested to procure computers, smart television sets, and other e-learning equipment. However, only P2.075 billion of the budget was disbursed, according to the Commission on Audit’s 2023 report.

The delay in the delivery of the laptops, which occurred during Vice President Sara Duterte’s term as DepEd secretary, persisted despite the current student-to-computer ratio being 9:1 and the teacher-to-computer ratio being 30:1.

“That is almost saying it’s impossible to facilitate an e-learning system with one computer for 30 teachers. I believe, Madam Chair, this validates the reason why the DepEd in 2023 requested and lobbied for an allocation amounting to P11.361 billion,” Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said.

She added, “So, why is it that with the intensified need for ICT packages, Madam Chair, only P2.075 billion was disbursed from the P11 billion allocation?”

Pitagan explained that the 2023 DepEd Computerization Program (DCP) budget was barely spent because DepEd was focused on using the previous year’s funds. He said the department is playing catch-up with the crucial deliveries.

“For 2023, when the new administration came in, the priority was the continuing appropriations of 2022. That’s why for 2022 funds, we have the 92-percent obligation,” Pitagan said, referring to Vice President Duterte, who led the DepEd for nearly two years.

Angara takes over

Duterte resigned from the post on 19 June and was replaced by seasoned lawmaker Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.

However, Luistro was clearly not satisfied with Pitagan’s explanation, considering that the department had asked Congress to allocate funds to address the lack of learning equipment.

“It’s hard for me to appreciate the explanation that your priority is continuing, which is the budget from 2022,” Luistro said.

“Why, therefore, did you request P11 billion for 2023 if you’re going to say now that your priority is 2022, and that’s why you didn’t use the 2023 funds?” Luistro countered.

Luistro said that in Batangas, teachers, students, and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) had been pleading for laptops and computers.

“Madam Chair, I just wish to manifest my frustration about the significant delay in the proper bidding, procurement, and delivery of all these ICT equipment. These are very much needed by our public schools,” she said.

“As a matter of fact, I wish to believe that this is the reason why Philippine education is at the bottom of the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) ranking,” she added.

Ranked last

In the 2018 PISA report, the Philippines ranked last in reading among 79 participating countries, and second to last in science and mathematics.

In 2023, the Philippines ranked 76th out of 81 countries in reading and mathematics, and 79th in science.

According to Luistro, the DepEd has been given a sufficient budget for e-learning equipment, and they only need to “act promptly” to address this gap.

Based on the DepEd’s accomplishment report, 2,349 e-learning carts (eLCs), 2,648 smart TVs, 12,022 laptops for teachers, and 7,558 laptops for non-teaching personnel have yet to be delivered under the 2023 P11.36-billion appropriation.

As for the 2022 continuing appropriations, the DepEd had 6,770 packages, including 4,067 eLCs, 337 smart TVs, 2,366 laptops for teachers, and 3,161 laptops for non-teaching personnel.

Pitagan, however, said that both the laptops for teaching and non-teaching personnel were already delivered, and that 91.47 percent of the eLCs and 91.6 percent of smart TVs were also distributed to the intended beneficiaries.

Luistro demanded that the DepEd submit documents proving all deliveries.