Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon said the COA report paints an alarming picture of DepEd’s failures under Vice President Sara Duterte’s (above) leadership. —Screengrab from the House of Representatives video
MANILA, Philippines — Several House lawmakers believe that the Department of Education (DepEd) delivery of spoiled milk and bread is tantamount to criminal negligence, as consuming these food items or not had an effect on their overall health.
House committee on appropriations chairperson and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co said in a statement on Wednesday that students would have suffered food poisoning if they ingested the spoiled milk and bread—but may have gone hungry if they did not receive any food provision.
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“I pity the children in public schools who were the supposed intended beneficiaries. I hope they were not able to drink spoiled milk or eat expired bread, but if they did not, they may have gone hungry,” he said.
La Union Francisco Paolo Ortega V and Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said that people should be held accountable for this because spoiled food deprived children of nutrients needed for their well-being.
“If the milk and nutribun or bread delivered is expired, what did the children eat? None. If I’m a parent of the children affected, I would be mad,” Ortega said. “If you’re hungry, your stomach will rumble—children and adults alike would not be able to focus with their studies or whatever they are doing,” Khonghun said.
“That is why we say this is criminal neglect on the part of the implementers of the program, from the highest level at DepEd to the level of the school-recipient,” he added.
Delays in the delivery
During the deliberations of DepEd’s proposed budget last Monday, it was revealed that the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the department’s P5.6 billion school-based feeding program in 2023—during the time of former Education secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte—for delays in the delivery that resulted into the spoilage of the products.
During the interpellation of BHW party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co, she pointed out that COA reports indicated that 10 out of 17 regions received spoiled food —like milk and bread.
Angara said that they would place a mechanism where erring suppliers would be blacklisted or penalized. ACT Teachers party-list Rep. 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, Aurora—the home province of former senator and incumbent Education Secretary Sonny Angara—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.
Ortega and Khonghun meanwhile said that it seems Duterte forgot about Mindanao—her area of origin—because most of the regions that complained about the spoiled food came from Mindanao.
“Most of the 10 regions are in Mindanao. It seems the office of the VP left behind her fellow Mindanaoans there,” Ortega noted.
Not politics
Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre also maintained that Congress calling out DepEd under Duterte’s term is not about politics, but transparency, accountability, and delivery of public services.
“The COA report paints an alarming picture of DepEd’s failures under Vice President Duterte’s leadership. Completing only 192 out of 6,379 target classrooms is not just a minor oversight—it’s a gross neglect of duty,” Bongalon said.
“This is not about politics; it’s about the future of our children and the efficient use of public funds,” he added.
Bongalon said this after Duterte claimed that the criticisms hurled during the budget deliberations are mere politics, supposedly orchestrated by the Makabayan-Romualdez-Marcos alliance.
Makabayan refers to the Makabayan bloc, or lawmakers from progressive groups. Romualdez is House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, while Marcos is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“These problems are now left to her successor, Secretary Sonny Angara, who is expected to clean up the mess she left behind,” Bongalon said. “The COA findings are a call to action, not an opportunity for diversion. We need answers, and more importantly, we need solutions.”
Acidre meanwhile urged the Vice President to just address these issues.
“The COA’s findings on the minimal completion of Last Mile Schools and the inefficient use of the Basic Education Facilities Fund are not just numbers on a page—they represent broken promises to our most vulnerable students,” he said.
“Vice President Duterte’s attempt to shift the focus to rising food prices and political conspiracies is a disservice to the millions of students who rely on DepEd to provide a conducive learning environment. She must account for these failures, and we expect no less,” he added. “(Resignation from DepEd) does not absolve her of responsibility.”