Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1) — After laptops, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said it will investigate another overpricing allegation made against the agency, this time with cameras.
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“Maasahan po ninyo (Rest assured) that we will look into this,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
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On Tuesday, activist Renato Reyes tweeted a Facebook post of photographer Jhun Dantes who shared a photo of a Canon DSLR camera allegedly procured by the DepEd.
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According to the sticker on the device, its acquisition cost was ₱155,929.
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Similar models are sold for around ₱23,000 online, Reyes noted.
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The original Facebook post was already deleted.
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“It was being claimed that certain cameras were procured back in 2019 if I’m not mistaken and when I looked into it ang nasa (what was in the) picture was an entry level camera,” Poa said. “But when I asked the Public Affairs service regarding the cameras being used by DepEd, lahat naman po yan Mark 4, so hindi po sya yung entry level na camera (all those are Mark 4, so they are not entry level cameras).”
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On Jan. 19, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee recommended the filing of graft and corruption charges against former Department of Budget and Management procurement service head Christopher Lloyd Lao and some former and present officials of the DepEd over the “overpriced” laptops bought in 2021.
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To prevent similar issues and make its process more efficient and transparent, Poa said the DepEd recently created an office that focuses on the agency’s procurement process.
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The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, meanwhile, called on DepEd, the Commission on Audit, and lawmakers to look into the latest overpricing allegation.
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ACT Philippines Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte promised to address corruption in her department in her Basic Education Report 2023.
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He said this issue deserves Duterte’s attention “as well as the many other possible controversial purchases in the department.”
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