COA: Only 192 of 6,379 classrooms constructed under VP Sara

MANILA, Philippines — Only 192 of the 6,379 classrooms were constructed or completed last year by the Department of Education (DepEd), which at that time was led by its former chief, Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a Commission on Audit (COA) report.

Based on the 2023 audit report of the DepEd, 192 classrooms translates to only 3.01 percent of the total figure.

COA said the delay was due to “realignments because of modifications in the projects’ design.”

“A total of 4,391 classrooms are still under construction, and 550 are yet to undergo various stages of procurement,” it added.

READ: DepEd: 3,637 new classrooms since 2023, more needed

Aside from this, the report revealed that there was also a delay in the delivery of 580,394 seats or school furniture based on the department’s Annual Procurement Plan (APP).

Not delivered on May to June 2023

“The school furniture should have been delivered on May to June 2023; however, the contracts were only completed in December 2023, and the delivery are only expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024,” COA said.

“Thus, the target of 580,394 school seats to be delivered in CY 2023 were not accomplished,” it added.

The same report likewise revealed that only 208 DepEd classrooms got repaired of 7,550 rooms up for rehabilitation.

COA disclosed that 2,135 are undergoing repair, while 5,207 are still to be procured.

Citing the DepEd, COA said the total amount of the classrooms’ construction, repair or rehabilitation, as well as the procurement of furniture is at P816,716,848.51.

According to COA, the education department should “address issues and concerns that hinder the implementation of projects so that optimum results and benefits on the completed projects would be realized as timely as intended.”

Timely implementation of PPAs

“The DepEd has yet to consider ensuring greater budget efficiency through timely implementation of PPAs (Program/Project/Activity). The high rate on obligations does not fully indicate effectiveness and efficiency since these obligations are only valid commitments based on the awarded contracts/purchase orders where goods are not yet delivered and projects are not yet started,” the report reads.

Contrary to this, Duterte revealed in January this year that a total of 3,637 new classrooms were built by the agency since 2023.

“We have made progress, but clearly, this is not enough,” said Duterte during her presentation of the 2024 Basic Education Report.

Based on her update, Duterte said that 6,203 classrooms already in various stages of construction, with another 811 already under procurement.

For this year, she disclosed that 4,000 classrooms are expected to be compeleted by the end of the first semester.

Duterte stepped down as DepEd chief and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in June this year.

Her resignation took effect on July 19, and then-Senator Sonny Angara replaced her as education secretary.