Students, teachers and employees of the Department of Education are overjoyed there was no delay in the delivery of laptops and other equipment to schools under the 2025 DepEd Computerization Program (DCP).
Education Secretary Sonny Angara had been diligent in the procurement process based on the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to efficiently deliver the laptops to the students.
“Hindi lang ito basta pag-deliver ng gamit, ito’y paghahatid ng oportunidad.”
“Hindi lang ito basta pag-deliver ng gamit, ito’y paghahatid ng oportunidad,” Angara said.
“Kapag dumadating na talaga sa mga paaralan ang mga kagamitan, doon natin nararamdaman ang tunay na pagbabago. Mas nagiging buhay ang pagkatuto, mas naaabot ng mga bata, at mas nakakagana para sa mga guro,” the education chief added.
Zambales School Superintendent William Roderick Fallorin recalled the delayed delivery of digital tools in the past.
“Kung matatandaan niyo, late na dumarating yung mga laptops natin, yung DCP packages natin. Usually, by the time na dumating sa mga schools, hindi na 100% functional tapos ‘yung iba parang hindi na masyado magamit,” Fallorin said.
For DCP 2025, DepEd procured 33,539 laptops for teachers, where 9,466 units have been distributed.
An additional 5,360 laptops for non-teaching personnel were acquired, 3,255 of which have been delivered.
There are also Smart TV packages of 25,949 units paired with external hard drives. 6,634 units have already been distributed.
The DepEd said 79 percent of the fund for the 2025 DCP has been awarded in the second quarter of the year.
Because of the EPA, the distribution of the digital tools was made early eliminating the delays that happened in the past.
“Malaking bagay yung early procurement.”
“Malaking bagay yung early procurement,” said Fallorin, who is supervising 300 public schools.
“Malaking bagay na nag-Early Procurement tayo. Wala pang budget, nagpo-procure na tayo, by the time na maapprove ang GAA, iaaward na lang siya. So by the time na mai-award, ‘yung distribution, sunod-sunod na.. Dati kasi, hindi natin nagagawa ‘yun. Nai-stuck pa sa warehouses,” he added.
Fallorin commended the education chief for his leadership.
“Malaking bagay na pinush talaga ng Administration ni Sec. Sonny ngayon yung Early Procurement Activities natin sa DepEd. Parang ngayon talaga yung matinding emphasis diyan. Napabilis ng husto yung proseso,” he stressed.
“Unlike now, kung maagang, timely, yung dating sa mga teachers, maeenjoy nila yung peak performance nung mismong device,” Fallorin noted. “So kung ang shelf life niya ay two years, talagang buong two years, magagamit niya doon sa laptop. Unlike before, mukha siyang bago pero yung shelf life na lang niya, maikli na lang. Magagamit na lang ng teacher, sandaling-sandali na.”
He pointed out this is the kind of reform needed in provinces that lack funding.
“Gusto namin bigyan teachers natin dito ng laptop sa Zambales pero hindi kaya ng pondo ng gobyerno. Pero dahil nandito na, mabilis na, magagawa na ng mga teachers yung mga trabaho nila ng mas maayos kasi nandito na yung mga equipment nila,” Fallorin said.
“To our DepEd family, especially in the Central Office—thank you for pushing EPA. Nandito kami sa field para tumulong,” he added.
