Binay warns NTF-ELCAC school buildings may become white elephant sans DepEd coordination

Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday took issue with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict's (NTF-ELCAC) building of school facilities in "liberated barangays," adding that the construction program could become a "white elephant" if it will not be coordinated with Department of Education (DepEd).

During the Senate committee on finance hearing on the DepEd's 2022 proposed national budget, Binay asked the education department if it was aware of the NTF-ELCAC's school building construction under the Barangay Development Program.

Government records showed that P16.4 billion was allocated for the anti-insurgency task force's Barangay Development Program. Of the amount, P569 million was allocated for school buildings.

When asked about the number of existing schools in 'insurgency-free' barangays, Education Undersecretary Alain Pascua said 789 out of 822 villages already have 1,731 schools.

Pascua further responded that they advised NTF-ELCAC to halt construction of schools in villages that already have existing education facilities.

"Hindi kami gaanong pamilyar sa implementation noong (We are not familiar with the program implementation) Barangay Development but we were consulted with the list of barangays that some of them or many of them have existing schools already,"  Pascua said during the inquiry.

"Kinlaro namin sa kanila (NTF-ELCAC) na kung mayroon ng school, huwag na magtayo ng school, maglagay na lang sa ibang barangay," he added.

(We told them not to build schools in villages that already have schools, they can just build in villages that do not have these facilities.)

However, Binay said she has concerns that if NTF-ELCAC and DepEd are not coordinating in these, construction of schools in the 789 villages will be put to  waste if there will be no budget from DepEd to provide personnel and school materials to augment the operations of these schools.

"I'm surprised na nagbigay pala yung DepEd na hindi kailangan sa ibang barangays na part ng NTF-ELCAC barangay development. Ang concern ko kasi kayo magpoprovide ng teachers ang eskwelahan. So kung di ninyo alam kung saan itinayo, I mean how would you give complement teaching staff sa barangay na yun," said Binay.

(I'm surprised that DepEd gave a list of schools to NTF-ELCAC regarding the villages but are part of the NTF-ELCAC barangay development. My concern is you will provide teachers for these schools. So if you don't know the locations of these schools, I mean how would you give teaching staff in that village?)

"We don't want na maging white elephant ang eskwelahan kasi di ninyo kaya magprovide ng teaching personnel (because you can't provide teaching personnel.)," she added.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones agreed with the senator, adding that the DepEd should also check the quality of materials and teachers in the said schools.

Duplication of NTF-ELCAC, DepEd projects

Binay then proposed that the NTF-ELCAC's 2022 budget for school construction must be moved to DepEd because it is more efficient as the department has a similar program in school construction.

She cited that DepEd has a Last Mile Schools Program, which is similar to NTF-ELCAC's program since both are serving those in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA). 

The Last Mile Schools Program only received a P1.5 billion budget for 2022 much lower than NTF-ELCAC with an estimate of P4 billion for school construction, Binay added.

"Would you recommend na for next year's budget i-carve out pa natin sa NTF-ELCAC budget yung pagtayo ng school building at ilipat na lang sa DepED?" Binay asked DepEd.

(Should we carve out NTF-ELCAC's budget on school construction and move it to DepEd?)

Briones responded that they could not make a recommendation since NTF-ELCAC and DepEd are both in the executive department, adding that they leave it up to Congress to decide on the budget.

For Senator Pia Cayetano, DepEd should coordinate with NTF-ELCAC because the education agency is in "dire need" of budget while the anti-insurgency task force has a lot.—LDF, GMA News