Tables, not apples
Enough with the tired defense, “Kahit anong gawin, may sasabihin.” Questioning how taxpayers' money is spent is not ingratitude. It is accountability.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has procured 172,000 Apple MacBook Neo laptops worth over P7.4 billion, with 169,000 units for public school teachers and 3,000 for administrative personnel.
DepEd proudly announced it secured the laptops for P43,000 each, P6,000 below retail price, with a five-year warranty.
It’s appreciated, of course. Spending billions on laptops for teachers suggests the government values their work.
But hear me out.
You do not give teachers struggling in overcrowded, poorly ventilated classrooms a shiny new laptop and call it progress. You give them something that actually eases their burden.
More classrooms. More tables and chairs. Better ventilation. Bigger transportation allowances. Better yet, higher salaries.
Teachers are not necessarily demanding high-end laptops. They are demanding decent working conditions.
Technology matters. Some teachers need better devices. But must they come with a premium price tag when cheaper alternatives could do the job?
A good deal does not necessarily mean a good decision.
This is where DepEd’s priorities become questionable. The issue is not simply how much the government spends, but what problems it chooses to solve.
My mom has been a public school teacher for as long as I’ve been alive.
She needs a manageable student-teacher ratio, fewer non-teaching tasks, relief from physical and mental pressures and, above all, a salary that reflects the importance of her job — not another iCloud account to set up.
And enough with the tired defense, “Kahit anong gawin, may sasabihin.”
Questioning how taxpayers' money is spent is not ingratitude. It is accountability.
Modernization is welcome. But progress must be inclusive.
Asked whether MacBooks were really necessary, Education Secretary Sonny Angara acknowledged they were not, pointing instead to the competitive bidding process.
And not every teacher will receive a laptop.
DepEd said priority would be given to schools nationwide with information technology programs and educational technology needs.
What about geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs)?
Angara said they could qualify, although some schools do not even have electricity to charge the devices.
We can spend billions on Apple laptops while some schools cannot even keep the lights on.
School ICT personnel are expected to handle distribution. But DepEd has yet to lay out clear mechanisms to ensure proper distribution and prevent favoritism, preferential treatment based on connections, or even the resale of laptops.
A discounted laptop is still an expensive purchase if more urgent needs remain unmet.
Teachers need more than a bite of modernization. They deserve a bigger share of progress.
The DepEd may have bitten into the wrong apple.
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Editor's Note: Published: 5 November 2026 | Updated: 10 November 2026, 1:06 p.m.