Escudero to Deped: Release funds for physical classes
Senatorial Aspirant and Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero urged the Department of Education to release funds for physical classes preparation.
Escudero issued the appeal following reports that teachers were spending their own money to finance their classrooms for the expansion of in-person learning.
“I don’t understand why teachers are getting into debt to fix their own classrooms when the DepEd has received a significant increase in its annual budget. Where is the P1 billion DepEd said will be distributed to public schools to support blended learning?” Escudero said in a statement on Friday.
“Para sa isang ahensiya na taon-taon ay pinakamalaki ang pondo, ayon sa Konstitusyon, nakakahiya naman yatang mga guro pa ang papagastusin natin sa pag-ayos ng mga classrooms nila,” he added.
This year, DepEd was given a budget of P631.77 billion, up by 6.34% from the agency’s P594.11 billion allocation in 2021.
Escudero added that the increase in DepEd’s budget can increase its Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses threshold from P15,000 to P50,000 for its field offices.
Deped allocated P1 billion for public schools to purchase television, speakers, laptops and other equipment needed to support blended learning.
