Pacquiao does not see need to declare 'education crisis'; claims corruption within DepEd

Presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao on Friday said he does not see the need for the Philippine government to declare an "education crisis," but that the Department of Education should be overhauled due to corruption.

"'Yung sinasabi nila na magdeklara ng crisis, hindi kailangan. Ang baguhin at i-correct 'yung mga nasa loob, 'yung mga nagpapatakbo. Baka may mga kababalaghan na nangyayari diyan sa loob," Pacquiao said during the PiliPinas forum by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).

(Regarding their calls to declare an education crisis, it is not needed. What needs to be changed and corrected is from within, those running the department. Perhaps there are some irregularities happening inside.)

"Hindi lang po ako nagsasalita, pero alam ko ang mga nangyayari diyan sa DepEd. Alam na alam ko 'yan, ayaw ko lang ibulgar ngayon. Pagdating ng panahon, alam ko na kung paano ko halungkatin 'yan at itutuwid," he added.

(I am just not talking about it right now, but I know what is happening there in DepEd. I know that very well, but I don't want to divulge it right now. When the time comes, I know how to meticulously unearth and correct it.)

Pacquiao cited an irregularity involving one DepEd official, whom he refused to name.

"Diyan sa DepEd, may kakilala ako diyan. Hindi pumapayag na bumababa ng 40% ang mapunta sa kaniya (I know someone in DepEd who refuses to receive less than 40%)," he said.

Pacquiao has vowed to jail corrupt government officials, constructing a mega prison for them in his first 100 days as president.

GMA  News Online reached out to DepEd for comment but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.—AOL, GMA News