Reforms trigger 289% jump in textbook procurement, DepEd reports

The Department of Education (DepEd) reported a significant surge in successfully procured textbook titles — surpassing the total output of the previous ten years combined.

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showed that from 2012 to 2023, only 27 titles were successfully procured by DepEd, with only Grades 5 and 6 students receiving complete textbooks during the period.

Following immediate reforms instituted by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, DepEd has already passed and procured 105 titles in just one year, representing an increase of 289 percent.

This major turnaround is expected to accelerate further under the Marcos administration, with the support of the Senate and the House of Representatives, after DepEd secured ₱29.16 billion in funding for 103.9 million learning resources in the 2026 national budget — the largest increase in recent years. The allocation expands this year’s 97 million materials to ease shortages, support teachers, and align lessons with the revised curriculum.

To sustain these gains, DepEd is leveraging Republic Act 12009, or the “New Government Procurement Act,” principally authored by Secretary Angara during his time in the Senate. The law dismantles long-standing bottlenecks and provides a legal framework to prevent procurement delays and ensure the continuous and timely delivery of learning resources.

Complementing this law is DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2025, which mandates the pre-selection and evaluation of titles before the bidding phase — a major departure from the older process that placed quality assurance during post-qualification, contributing to multiple procurement failures in the past.

By separating content evaluation from procurement, DepEd ensures that only cleared titles proceed to bidding, allowing faster and more predictable deliveries in 2026.

For Fiscal Year 2026, DepEd is expected to conduct quality assurance of at least 176 textbook and teacher’s manual titles, 360 potential learning resource exemplars, 2,000 self-learning resource titles, and an additional 1,000 titles needed to complete the curriculum rollout across grade levels.

Additionally, for the first time, DepEd has procured educational toys for Kindergarten learners, advancing a shift toward play-based, developmentally appropriate education.