The Department of Education (DepEd) has come under fire for failing to deliver P9.17 billion worth of nearly 20,000 laptops in 2023 despite the growing need for the same in various public schools.
During Monday’s hearing of the agency’s 2025 proposed budget, DepEd Information and Communications Technology Service Director Ferdinand Pitagan confirmed that there are 12,022 laptops and 7,558 laptops for teaching and non-teaching, respectively, that have yet to be delivered by year-end of 2023.
The budget for the laptop was under the P11.36 billion funding that the DepEd requested to procure computers, smart television sets, and other e-learning equipment, of which P2.075 billion was only disbursed based on the Commission on Audit 2023 report.
The delay in the delivery of the said laptops, which covered Vice President Sara Duterte's term, transpired even though the current student-to-computer ratio is 1:9, and the teacher-to-computer ratio is 1:30.
“That is almost saying impossible to facilitate an e-learning system having 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, out of P11 billion allocation, why P2.075 billion was only disbursed?”
Pitagan explained that the 2023 DepEd Computerization Program (DCP) budget was barely spent for the year because DepEd was focusing on the previous year’s funds. He said the department is playing catch-up to these crucial deliveries.
“For the 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 Sara Duterte, who headed the DepEd for nearly two years.
Duterte resigned from the post on 19 June and was later replaced by seasoned lawmaker Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara.
Luistro, however, did not buy Pitagan’s explanation taking into account that the department itself asked Congress to allocate such 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, that's why you didn't use the 2023?" Luistro countered.
Luistro lamented that in Batangas, teachers, students, and PTA (Parents-Teachers Associations) have 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 stressed.
“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.
In the 2018 PISA report, the Philippines ranked last in reading among 79 participating countries, while second to last in science and mathematics.
In 2023, the Philippines ranked 76 out of 81 countries in reading and mathematics, and 79 in science.
According to Luistro, the DepEd has been given a sufficient budget for e-learning equipment and they only have to “act promptly” to address this gap.
Based on the DepEd’s accomplishment report, 2,349 eLC (e-learning carts), 2,648 smart TVs, 12,022 laptops for teaching, and 7,558 laptops for non-teaching have yet to be delivered under the 2023 P11.36 billion current appropriations.
As for 2022 continuing appropriations, the DepEd has 6,770 packages, which include 4,067 eLC, 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 eLC and 91.6 percent of smart TVs were also given handed out to the intended beneficiaries.
Luistro, however, demanded that the DepEd submit the subject documents proving all the delivery.
Meanwhile, under the 2023 current appropriations, the average percentage for the delivery is only 3 percent out of the total number of packages.
Pitagan attributed the low rate to the delayed procurement, which he said only materialize in January of this year.
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