Makabayan bloc seeks House probe into DepEd's P2.4 billion laptop purchase

The House of Representatives' Makabayan bloc on Monday sought a congressional investigation into the Department of Education's P2.4 billion purchase of laptops for teachers in 2021, which the Commission on Audit said was pricey at P58,000 each, even as the laptops were outdated.

Makabayan party-list Representatives France Castro of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan called for the probe in House Resolution 189 which tasked the House Good Government and Public Accountability to look into the DepEd's P2.4 billion laptop purchase as stated in the COA Annual Audit Report on DepEd.

"According to the COA in its annual audit report, instead of utilizing its own Bidding and Awards Committee (BAC), the DepEd coursed the procurement through the Department of Budget and Management - Procurement Service (DBM-PS). The COA stated that the technical specifications 'required by the DepEd did not intend to procure a laptop computer equipped with an Intel Core Celeron, the most low-end type of Intel processor in the market,'" the lawmakers said.

The COA report said the DepEd's Agency Procurement Request, which pegged the price per unit of a laptop at P35,046.50, had the following specifications for the computers:

• 1.9 GHz base speed, 2 MB processing cache;
• 8 GB Double Data Rate Fourth Generation Synchronous Dynamic Random­ Access Memory (DDR4 RAM);
• 14-inch, 1920x1080 Full High-Definition (Full HD), Anti-Glare Non-Touch Screen Display; and
• 1 Terabyte (TB) Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) Hard Disk Drive (HDD).

"According to the DepEd's Agency Procurement Request (APR), the price per unit of a laptop is only P35,046.50. However, the DBM-PS, after it conducted a market survey on March 26, 2021, recommended a unit price of P58,300, which the DepEd approved," the lawmakers said.

The Makabayan bloc lawmakers said that DepEd should explain why it agreed to DBM-PS' recommended price even if the DepEd, based on the the COA report, also engaged the services of the DBM-PS for the procurement of faster model laptops with a price of only P32,500 per unit in June 2020.

The same COA report also said that the DBM-PS, in May 2021, held a bidding for a mid-range type of laptop with a unit price of P45,431.20.

"Not only that the price is cheaper, the performance of the laptop is faster and has better specifications than the laptop procured by the DepEd during the same month [which is at P58,000 per unit]," said the solons.

The Makabayan lawmakers said that House members could not turn a blind eye to the alleged inefficiency, if not possible corruption.

"It is the primordial duty of the members of the House of Representatives to uphold the interests and welfare of the Filipino people against inefficiency and corrupt practices. The government should ensure that the access of teachers and students to quality programs and services, especially amid the pandemic, economic crisis, and ailing educational situation," the lawmakers said.

"Now therefore, be it resolved, that the House of Representatives, through the Committee on Good Governance, investigate, in aid of legislation, the procurement of overpriced outdated laptops for teachers by the Department of Education through the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS)," they added.

GMA News Online had sought comment from Alain Pascua, the Undersecretary for Administration during the tenure of then-Education Secretary Leonor Briones when the P2.4 billion laptop purchase was made.

Pascua said, "As of noon of June 30, 2022, I am deemed separated from service by virtue of my coterminous appointment, and as affirmed by Memorandum Circular No. 1 signed by Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez. Please ask newly designated Undersecretary Epimaco Densing or holdover Education Undersecretary Anne Sevilla for your request."

GMA News Online had also reached out to Sevilla, and she responded, "Hello, there is an official DepEd spokesperson: Atty Mike Poa. His mobile number is +63 9**********."

GMA News Online sought comment from DepEd spokesperson Poa, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

The Education Department, now headed by Vice President Sara Duterte, earlier said that it was addressing the COA findings on the laptops for teachers.
 — DVM, GMA News