Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque mouths a shutting response for the 370M issue, “Unang una, 2019 budget yan. Yung kanilang need was assessed as early as 2016. At ngayon po, kailangang kailangan po ng DepEd yan dahil nga po kinakailangan i-deliver ang modules sa mga malalayong lugar all over the Philippines.”
Purchasing 166 4×4 GLS MT Mitsubishi Strada units which is about a retail price of P1.465 million each made noise on netizens especially on Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT). Department of Education Undersecretary Alain Pascua elaborates that the purchased vehicles will be used for emergency purposes like possible calamities especially for far-flung areas which are also suggested as mentioned in a DepEd Memo released October 1, 2020.
“Prior to school opening and even until now, those vehicles have been used and are being used in the delivery of modules, in transporting teachers, and in addressing emergencies,” Pascua explained.
In a surge of criticisms about the believed ‘insensible use of education money’, Roque made a brief clarification that the decision undergone a public bidding process before coming up with the procurement. Furthermore, it is also mentioned that providing teachers’ allowance for the expense of the internet and gadgets is the lowest response upon the bidding. Roque also made clear that the administration is firm in the stand of entrusting the country’s Secretary of Department of Education, Leonor Briones on projects and programs and its advocacy to end corruption.
