Quimbo chides DepEd: Slow with projects, quick to utilize secret funds

MANILA, Philippines — Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo has called out the Department of Education (DepEd) for being slow in the implementation of its projects while being efficient only in utilizing confidential funds (CFs).

During her turn to interpellate the DepEd at the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations hearing on Monday, Quimbo said the past DepEd administration spent the P112.5 million CF for 2023 in just 190 days in three quarters — which, according to the lawmaker, translates to a 143 percent efficiency in spending CFs.

The CF was allocated to DepEd when it was under the helm of Vice President Sara Duterte.  Currently, the department is not requesting any secret funding.

“Of course, if we compare for example the liquidation reports for the confidential funds, that for three quarters they spent 100 percent of the P112.5 million, they spent it for the first quarter, from February 20 to March 30; for the second quarter April 20 to June 29; and for the third quarter July 12 to September 29, for a total of 190 days,” she said during deliberations of DepEd’s proposed budget.

“That’s 273 days, so 190 over 273, that’s 69 percent.  So if you divide 100 percent utilized funds by 69 percent, in terms of days, the score in terms of efficiency is 143 percent.  So the efficiency in spending CFs is 143 percent — congratulations — but in terms of regular funds, it’s so slow.  As per the COA (Commission on Audit) report 2023, there is still P37.7 billion part of delayed partial at non-implementation of various programs,” she added.

According to Quimbo, it is important for the agency to act fast and use its funds as the country faces an education crisis.

“Big crisis, we cannot waste funds, we cannot waste time, I think those are the two things.  So it’s saddening that when it comes to the COA report — I’ve also heard the other lawmakers — that one of the biggest findings by COA in 2023 was low utilization.  This means use of funds is slow, so funds are left behind, so wasted funds, wasted time,” she noted.

During the same briefing, Quimbo and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro quizzed department officials about COA’s report about low budget utilization, particularly regarding the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP).

Quimbo, the senior vice chairperson of the appropriations panel, said it was impossible for DepEd to claim that 44,638 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) packages were delivered as of now, since COA itself called the department out for low utilization.

DepEd’s ICT Director Ferdinand Pitagan then said that the total figure of 44,638 ICT packages was reached by combining 2023 and 2024 figures.  However, Quimbo said that Pitagan was referring to procured ICT packages — and not equipment delivered to schools across the country.

READ: Solons blast low budget use, non-delivery of laptops of DepEd under Sara

But Quimbo said the country can be optimistic again with the appointment of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, as there is renewed hope of solving the country’s education crisis.

However, Quimbo admitted that Angara faces a huge task with the country lagging behind in terms of students’ aptitude.

“Maybe we should stop congratulating Sec. Sonny himself, maybe we should congratulate the whole country because we now have renewed hope in facing our huge education crisis.  It is clear that there are big problems being faced now; we are lagging compared to the rest of the world, it’s clear based on the Pisa rankings,” Quimbo said.

“Hearing of a situation where students say that the Earth is flat is disheartening, our children have to compete globally.  There are young people applying for jobs as virtual assistants, this means that when they apply online for a job, they are competing against the rest of the world.  If we are lagging behind, it’s hard to compete.  That’s what our Secretary is facing, so we need to help DepEd,” she added.

The education sector has faced several problems with regard to the provision of quality education.  In December 2023, the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) said that Filipino students who took part in their assessment were five to six years behind in mathematics, science, and reading compared to their 15-year-old counterparts from most of the participating countries.

READ: PISA shows PH students ‘5 to 6 years’ behind

Then just this June — before Duterte resigned — Pisa said that Filipino students logged a mean score of 14 on the creative thinking performance of 15-year-old students — the second-lowest among 64 ranked countries.