Briones explains 3M unused books, decries 'dramatized' news reports

Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Wednesday said the reported over 3 million unused books stuck in their warehouses are buffer stock to be used in case of natural calamities.

“This, your honor, represents 3.5 million copies of textbooks which constituted to buffer stock,” Briones said during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

“We have a rule, seven percent of available textbooks should be set aside as buffer stock because we don’t know what will happen,” she added.

This buffer stock is intended for natural calamities, replacement for damaged and lost books, and allowance for possible increase in enrollment, Briones said.

Briones noted they have distributed over 80 million books in schools across the country.

In its audit observation, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the Department of Education (DepEd) over the P113-million worth of books and learning materials left unused in its warehouses.

Briones, who was a former COA secretary, clarified that audit observations are all subject to explanation and justification by the concerned agency.

She said they have already submitted a written response to COA answering each observations point by point. According to Briones, their response was found to be credible by the COA.

“There is no observation about corruption or about any official enriching herself or himself,” she said.

Briones expressed her frustration over "dramatized" news reports and comments on the audit observation, citing reports that say the 3 million books are "rotting" in warehouses.

“We love drama. We feed on drama,” she said.

Due to these "dramatized" headlines and comments, Briones said the image of DepEd was affected. —KBK, GMA News