DEPED NAGPALIWANAG SA PAGBILI NG P2.4B LAPTOP

NAGPADALA na ang Department of Education (DepEd) ng mga kinakailangan na dokumento bilang tugon sa ginawang pagsita ng Commission on Audit (COA) sa sa implementasyon ng distance learning procurement noong 2021, partikular na ang P2.4-bilyong halaga ng di umano’y “pricey yet outdated” laptops para sa mga guro.

Sa isang joint press briefing, sinabi ni Education spokesperson Michael Poa na tumugon lang sila sa Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM), na giit niya ay “something that is not conclusive.”

“We are aware that some time on March 22, the DepEd was in receipt of an audit observation (memorandum), AOM, issued by COA. What I know is we have already submitted the documentary requirements na hinihingi po nila. We’re just waiting for feedback from COA, because ‘yung AOM, finding lang naman po ‘yan, it doesn’t mean that it’s conclusive,”  saad niya.

Ayon sa annual audit, 28,917 guro ang “nawalan” ng benepisyo sa pagbili ng laptop, dahil ang mga biniling unit ay nagkakahalaga ng PHP58,300 bawat isa; habang ang mga nag-avail ay nakaranas ng mabagal na takbo ng laptop, dahil sa lumang processor na nakakabit dito.

“The Audit Team could not ascertain the DBM-PS’ basis for adopting the unit price of P58,300. Apparently, the supposed number of laptops to be procured of 68,500 units was significantly reduced to 39,583 units which was mainly due to the huge increase of estimated cost from P35,046 to P58,300 anchored on the DBM-PS’ recommendation, which was duly accepted by the DepEd,” ayon sa report ng COA.

Sinabi naman ni Poa na handa silang makipagtulungan sa COA para ibigay ang kinakailangang tugon at i-check ang iba pang bagay na may kinalaman sa distance learning implementation.

“Definitely, we will look into what really happened then, according to the comments or responses given by the DepEd, as a whole, there were several instances wherein there were delays in procurement because of the surges last year. You know it. We were there (in that situation) last year. Omicron variant. So we will look into it… we’ll see what’s the final determination of COA. We will always work with COA po, for the improvement of processes here in DepEd,” wika ni Poa.