DepEd secures 172,654 MacBooks at P6,900 below retail price
More than 172,000 public school teachers and personnel will receive Apple MacBook Neo laptops under the Department of Education's (DepEd) computerization program, Malacañang announced Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said DepEd had secured 172,654 units at approximately ₱43,000 each, or ₱6,900 below the suggested retail price of ₱49,900.
The procurement represents an estimated ₱1.19 billion in savings compared with the stated retail price, based on the number of units purchased.
“Upon the orders of the President, the Department of Education has taken a major step in expanding digital education in the country by purchasing 172,654 Apple MacBook Neo laptops for teachers and staff of public schools. This is part of the goal of providing teachers with modern equipment to facilitate the preparation of lessons and other educational activities,” Castro said, as translated from Filipino.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the initiative seeks to ease the financial burden on teachers who have had to purchase their own computers or maintain outdated equipment for classroom work.
“According to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the program aims to reduce the personal expenses of teachers in purchasing and maintaining laptops. DepEd acquired each MacBook Neo for approximately P43,000, P6,900 less than its regular price. It also comes with a five-year warranty, productivity tools, and training for its users,” Castro said.
The five-year warranty exceeds the standard one-year coverage offered for retail units. The procurement package also includes productivity tools and training for recipients.
DepEd has partnered with Apple to develop GuroXL, a training program intended to strengthen teachers' digital skills and improve the use of technology in classroom instruction.
The initiative will provide opportunities for educators to obtain Apple Teacher certification and other technology-related qualifications.
Apple CEO John Ternus described the agreement as the company's largest education deal for Mac computers.
Of the 172,654 laptops, 169,008 are allocated for teachers and 3,646 for administrative personnel.
Distribution is scheduled from November 2026 through March 2027, with activities planned across Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
Castro said the initiative supports the administration's efforts to modernize public education, improve teaching efficiency and reduce teachers' out-of-pocket expenses for digital equipment.