DepEd to look into alleged procurement of overpriced cameras

Following the overpriced laptop fiasco, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said that it will investigate another allegation claiming that the agency purchased overpriced cameras in 2019.

DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said in a television interview that he will look into the matter before giving further comments, as it is still uncertain to them which cameras were being compared in a now-deleted post of a photojournalist.

The post showed a photo of a Canon 1500D camera with a DepEd sticker attached, indicating an acquisition cost of P155,929.

Other details such as the DSLR camera’s serial number, acquisition date, and accountable officer were on the sticker.

“It was being claimed that certain cameras were procured back in 2019, if I’m not mistaken. When I looked into it, ang nasa picture was an entry level camera, but when I asked the Public Affairs Service regarding the cameras being used by DepEd, lahat naman po ‘yan Mark 4, so hindi po siya ‘yung entry level na camera,” Poa said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

(When I looked into it, the one in the picture was an entry level camera. However, when I asked the Public Affairs Service regarding the cameras being used by DepEd, they said the cameras were all Mark 4, not entry level cameras.)

“Definitely, maaasahan po ninyo (we assure you) that we will look into this,” he added.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) chairperson Vladimer Quetua on Wednesday also called on DepEd, along with the Congress and Commission on Audit (COA) to investigate the matter. 

“Walang konsensya itong mga sangkot sa maling paggasta ng pera ng taumbayan na laan sana sa edukasyon ng mga kabataan. Pagnanakaw ito sa kinabukasan ng mga bata. Dapat lang na imbestigahan ito, tuntunin ang lahat ng nakinabang at kasapakat, at parusahan ayon sa batas,” Quetua said in a statement.

(People who were involved in this have no conscience for spending public funds that should have been allocated to the education of the youth. They are stealing from the children's future. This should be investigated, and all those who benefited should be prosecuted and punished according to the law.)

“It is both enraging and demoralizing for teachers to hear of such anomalies while we feel everyday the scantiness of funds for education on the ground.”

Procurement

Quetua also called on Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte to look into the matter, pointing out her promise of transparency and accountability when it comes to DepEd’s procurement process when she presented the Basic Education Report 2023 on Monday.

“Sec. VP Sara Duterte promised of addressing corruption in the DepEd in her Basic Education Report 2023. This matter only deserves her attention, as well as the many other possible controversial purchases in the department. Her promise will only be meaningful if we see that concrete actions on the anomalies are executed,” he said.

In her report, Duterte admitted “cracks” in DepEd’s procurement practices, which she said may harm the agency’s vision to provide learners with quality basic education if left unresolved.

“The procurement practices at the Department of Education had red flags that demanded immediate actions,” she said.

In a bid to solve this problem, Duterte said DepEd has established a separate strand dedicated entirely on matters of procurement.

DepEd’s Procurement Strand will be headed by Undersecretary Gerard Chan and Assistant Secretary Omar Alexander Romero.

“This strand is ordered to ensure that the delivery of services is done within the period required by law, following the processes mandated by law. Our intention here is to solve a problem that has permeated within the system and ensure that transparency and accountability are present,” Duterte said.

On January 19, the Senate blue ribbon committee released a report into the DepEd’s controversial procurement of laptops for public school teachers in 2021, which showed that the contract for the supply and delivery of the gadgets was overpriced by at least P979 million.

Due to this, the Senate panel recommended graft and perjury charges against some former and current officials of DepEd and the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM).

The report has so far reached the plenary, with DepEd committing to cooperate with any proceedings that will ensue.—AOL, GMA Integrated News