DepEd breaks decade-long gridlock:Textbooks procurement up 289%

MANILA, Philippines — Breaking a decade-long stagnation in education logistics, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported a significant surge in successfully procured textbook titles — surpassing the total output of the previous ten years combined.

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showed that from 2012 to 2023, only 27 titles were successfully procured by DepEd, with only Grades 5 and 6 students receiving complete textbooks during the period.

Following immediate reforms instituted by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the Department has already passed and procured 105 titles in just one year, representing an increase of 289%.

This major turnaround is set to accelerate further under the Marcos administration, with the support of the Senate and the House of Representatives. DepEd secured P29.16 billion funding for 103.9 million learning resources in the 2026 national budget — the largest increase in recent years.

This allocation significantly expands upon this year’s 97 million materials to ease shortages, support teachers, and align lessons with the revised curriculum.

“Hindi pwedeng kulang-kulang ang hawak ng mga guro at bata. Kung gusto nating umangat ang kalidad ng pag-aaral, dapat kompleto, tama, at napapanahon ang materyales na dumarating sa mga paaralan,” Angara said.

To sustain these gains, DepEd is leveraging Republic Act 12009, or the “New Government Procurement Act,” principally authored by Angara during his time in the Senate.

The law directly addresses and dismantles the historical bottlenecks faced by the DepEd, providing the legal framework necessary to prevent future delays and ensure the continuous, timely delivery of learning resources.

Complementing this law is DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2025, which mandates the pre-selection and evaluation of titles before the bidding phase.

This marks a major departure from the old process where quality assurance occurred during post-qualification — a practice that previously contributed to multiple procurement failures.

By separating content evaluation from procurement, DepEd ensures that only cleared titles proceed to bidding, enabling faster, more predictable deliveries in 2026.

“Mula kay Pangulong Marcos at sa ating mga mambabatas, malinaw ang suporta na hindi dapat tipirin ang aklat at kagamitan kung ang nakataya ay ang kinabukasan ng kabataan,”Angara added.

For FY 2026, DepEd is expected to conduct Quality Assurance of at least 176 textbook and teacher’s manual titles, 360 potential learning resource exemplars, 2,000 self-learning resource titles, and an additional 1,000 titles needed to complete curriculum rollout across grade levels.

Additionally, for the first time, DepEd has procured educational toys for kindergarten learners, moving toward play-based, developmentally appropriate education.

“Ayaw na nating maulit ang sitwasyon kung saan huli dumarating ang libro o kulang ang kagamitan. Nauuna ang paghahanda para mauna rin ang pagkatuto,” Angara said.