Funding the rumor mill/ Justice up to Jesus Christ?

The Department of Education has drawn criticism lately for allegedly squandering hundreds of millions of pesos in public funds for the purchase of computers and multimedia equipment. According to published reports, the items were distributed to schools without the proper facilities, where they now gather dust in storage. Apart from the flak, it also seems that the DepEd has supposedly one big white elephant sitting on its shoulders.

As it turns out, these allegations were twisted from a report filed by the Commission on Audit in 2007. Despite the fact that the COA provided the DepEd with a “clean opinion” based on its findings, certain parties are keen on smearing the DepEd’s reputation, regardless of the latter’s efforts to keep Philippine education up to date with current technology.

The COA confirms that DepEd has conducted its finances and transactions in an appropriate manner. However, the audit committee’s report states that the majority of the P667.95 million worth of unused or underused computers were purchased, using the controversial Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) of congressmen and senators. Apparently, the funds for these purchases were not required to pass the DepEd’s Central Office in Manila. Instead they were released directly to its regional or divisional offices, which have their own guidelines for procurement or receiving donations.

It can be granted that the local offices’ acquisition of these items was in direct violation of the department’s own guidelines for determining which schools were eligible to receive computers (based on criteria such as availability of electricity and air-conditioned rooms to house the equipment and the presence of at least one computer-literate teacher). However, while the Central Office should keep better tabs on its local offices, it seems quite unfair and misleading to imply that the wasted funds were part of the agency’s budget. 

DepEd is nonetheless taking responsibility and ensuring that the equipment is used and distributed properly. In reaction to the matter, DepEd stated: “As early as June 7, 2007 and way before the release of the Commission on Audit (COA) report on the supposed wastage of the P667.96 million worth of information technology (IT) and multi-media equipment, the Department of Education had already acted on the matter by issuing DepEd Order No. 38 in order to correct the misuse of said materials.”

Order No. 38 suspended both the purchase and pre-purchase evaluation of supplementary and reference materials covering computer and software packages. Likewise, the order reiterated the provision of Order No. 25 (issued by the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports) that the suspension of such purchases is being made “to ensure that available funds are instead used to address the current backlog of textbooks and teachers manuals.”

 DepEd also tackled another allegation that it has misspent P57.3 million on unused textbooks and manuals by issuing DepEd Order No. 52, which is in itself an addendum to Order No. 38. The order prescribed more stringent guidelines to be followed in the purchase of textbooks and other teaching materials.

Orders 38 and 58 represent the DepEd’s efforts to safeguard its budget against misappropriation and mishandling. The misuse of the education funds is a sore point among many of us — and for good reason. Every peso misspent is a knock against the future of our students. But before we gather the lynch mob, it is best to gather the facts to gain a getter understanding of how the education department’s finances are really being conducted.

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Last week, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez called Vivian and Anders Hultman “hypocrites.” The Justice Secretary seems intent on passing the shame back to the Hultmans in an effort to disown the anger caused by the pardon of Claudio Teehankee Jr. The weird thing is that the Hultmans probably did not know that by signing the settlement of the convicted man’s P6-million civil liability, they were also waiving their right to compassion and courtesy — two words apparently absent in Gonzalez’ imaginative vocabulary. 

As if the release of Teehankee wasn’t enough to open old wounds, Gonza-lez’s statement is an epic act of callousness that undermines the family’s renewed anguish. Adding even more insult (and blasphemy) to injury, Gonzalez instructed the aggrieved couple to file their complaints ‘Kay Jesus Christ.’ Hardly the dignified statement you’d expect to hear from a Justice Secretary. But then, this is the Gonzalez we already know and whom the administration, for some strange reason, refuses to send to pasture.

This October 17, the Hultmans will be observing the 17th anniversary of Maureen’s passing. One can imagine the Hultmans reserving the day to give special tribute to their daughter’s life. Count on our Justice Secretary to taint the occasion by branding Maureen’s grieving parents as liars and hypocrites.

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My e-mail: [email protected]