Solons want probe into different issues hounding DepEd

Vice President and former DepEd Sec. Sara Duterte —Screengrab from DepEd Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — Several House of Representatives lawmakers have called for an investigation of the different issues hounding the Department of Education (DepEd), particularly regarding its low budget utilization and alleged procurement issues.

During Monday’s deliberations of DepEd’s proposed 2025 budget, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro separately called for investigations due to different revelations on procurement problems when Vice President Sara Duterte was still leading the department.

Luistro’s call meanwhile was accompanied by a subpoena on all bidding documents since 2022 regarding DepEd’s Computerization Program (DCP), which has been hounded by significant delays in procurement and delivery—an issue pointed out by the Commission on Audit (COA).

READ: COA flags P5.6-B DepEd feeding program in 2023

According to the lawmaker, the subpoena will also include certifications from end-users that they received the information and communication technology (ICT) materials, plus feedback from teachers who may have complained about the state of the computers, laptops, and smart television sets.

Oversight power of Congress

“And I therefore respectfully invoke, Madam Chair, the oversight power of the Congress. Thus, this representation respectfully moves for the issuance of subpoena duces tecum, in order to require the office concerned to produce all the bidding documents 2022, 2023, 2024, including the acceptance of the end-users,” Luistro said.

“And I also wish to know the feedback of the teachers, because I surmise that these computers delivered may not be in good condition anymore. I wish to manifest as well, Madam Chair, that if we are able to establish findings based on the documents to be submitted to us, then I recommend that we initiate a separate investigation on this,” she added.

After the motion was approved by the presiding officer and Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora, Luistro clarified that the possible investigation does not in any way seek to hamper the operations of DepEd under its new head, former senator and now Secretary Sonny Angara.

Separate investigation

“I just wish to manifest that the recommendation to conduct a separate investigation is in order not to compromise the budget process of the Department of Education under the new Secretary, with whom I wish to express hope that we will be able to find ways to be able to address the delays and the irregularities which we have established through this budget briefing,” Luistro said.

Bongalon meanwhile raised concerns over a possible conspiracy as bidding procedures for the ICT materials were repeated even if the original prices in the first bidding were more advantageous to the government.

Such issues, Bongalon said, may merit an investigation.

Conspiracy?

“I would just like to say that there seems to be a conspiracy that happened. Imagine, you’ve already done bidding na and it’s all favorable to the government. But you asked for a rebidding, where there was a 1 percent variance. Isn’t that a big question for the DepEd family?” he asked.

“To sum this up, the prices of the laptops increased because of the conspiracy of the people behind this bidding of laptops. Probably, Madam Chair, involved here are those part of the BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) and of course, the head of the procuring entity And I would like to manifest, Madam Chair, that this warrants an in-depth investigation probably in a proper committee after this budget hearings,” he added.

Prior to these calls for an investigation, Luistro and Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo quizzed DepEd officials about COA’s report about low budget utilization, particularly regarding the DCP.

Quimbo, the senior vice chairperson of the appropriations panel, said DepEd can’t claim that 44,638 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) packages have been delivered as of now since COA itself called out the department 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 nationwide.

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

Spoiled milk

During the interpellation of BHW party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co, she pointed out that COA reports also indicated that 10 out of 17 regions received spoiled food—like milk and bread—for DepEd’s school-based feeding program.

Angara said that they would place a mechanism where erring suppliers would be blacklisted or penalized. Castro, however, believes an investigation is warranted too on this issue.

“But it’s also not acceptable to deliver expired food and then return it just because it has been delivered expired. So, that’s not a good practice. And this should be investigated,” Castro said.

According to the lawmaker, Angara’s home province of Aurora also complained about the issue.

“You know, Mr. Secretary, Aurora is included in the delivery of these spoiled food. Imagine 10 in 17 regions. So, it’s big, right? Buns and milk. So, that needs to be investigated,” Castro said.

“And I hope that it’s not just remedied, and then it’s okay to procure again. That’s why we need to, the Secretary is right, it should be blacklisted or we really need a report on the investigation. It can’t just be remedied like that,” she added.

Castro also criticized Vice President Duterte for leaving a huge problem in the education sector to Angara.

“In fairness to Secretary Angara, since I was a teacher, our ACT Teachers and the Secretary have been coordinating regarding different bills. Secretary Angara has been very accommodating, he has supported bills for the teachers’ salary ng mga teachers. It seems DepEd will be better under his helm,” Castro said.

Left several problems

“However, it’s saddening that he is facing a huge task because Vice President Duterte left several problems, especially this Matatag curriculum,” Castro said.

Aside from the investigations, Castro also sought a review of the Matatag curriculum, claiming that implementation was rushed and problematic.

“The past administration left you a big problem, now our teacher[‘s] shoulder this issue too, this Matatag curriculum is too burdensome,” she said.

The education sector has faced several problems with regards 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.

Then just this June—just 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.

Lawmakers like Castro and Luistro believe the delayed delivery of ICT materials exacerbated the problem.