The House of Representatives has defended its decision to reduce the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget by P10 billion for 2025. Lawmakers explained that the cuts aim to address inefficiencies in DepEd’s spending, particularly delays in its computerization program.
The Reason Behind the Cut
In a statement on Sunday, 1-Rider Party-list Representative Rodge Gutierrez responded to Education Secretary Sonny Angara’s concern about the budget reduction, which he warned could negatively impact DepEd’s ability to provide essential computer equipment to schools.
“Education funding is important, but we cannot keep wasting money without proper accountability,” Gutierrez said. He emphasized that Congress’ decision wasn’t about undermining education but ensuring that funds are used effectively.
Gutierrez pointed out that DepEd had failed to utilize much of its previous budget for its computerization program. According to the Commission on Audit (COA), DepEd only spent P2.075 billion out of its allocated P11.36 billion budget for 2023 to purchase information and communication technology equipment.
Undelivered Laptops and Delays
During a budget hearing in September, it was revealed that 12,022 laptops meant for teachers and 7,558 laptops for non-teaching staff from the 2023 budget had not been delivered by the end of the year. Gutierrez expressed frustration over this, stating, “That’s just for 2023. We’re not even discussing the computerization budget for 2024, and the year is almost over.”
Congress’ Stand on Accountability
Gutierrez criticized Secretary Angara, saying that as a former Senate Finance Committee chair, he should understand the importance of accounting for unused funds before asking for new allocations. “Now that he’s the education secretary, he should focus on fixing DepEd’s internal problems instead of asking Congress to ignore these issues,” Gutierrez added.
The Bigger Picture
Last week, the bicameral conference committee approved the P6.352-trillion 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB). This included cuts of P12 billion for DepEd and P30 billion for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
DepEd’s Hope for Restoration
Despite the challenges, Secretary Angara expressed optimism that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. might intervene to address DepEd’s budget concerns. Angara shared his hopes in an Instagram post on Sunday, vowing to continue advocating for sufficient resources for education.
This budget cut has sparked significant discussion about the balance between funding education and ensuring the responsible use of taxpayer money, with many awaiting further developments from the executive branch.
