Marcos orders strict monitoring of procurement, hiring for DepEd —Recto

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on Friday said that the ''shopping cart'' of school supplies, manpower, and facilities should be procured and hired without delay.

In a press release, Recto said the Marcos administration would require agencies to submit regular progress reports, or “some sort of grading period so problem areas can be troubleshooted immediately.'' 

Recto said this move is pursuant to the directive of President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. “to closely monitor every step of the acquisition chain, from fund release to project groundbreaking to completion.”

“Kailangan ng catch-up dito, kaya ang utos ng Pangulo ay i-monitor nang mabuti, at huwag lubayan sa paghingi ng resulta,” Recto said. 

(We need to catch up that's why the President directed us to monitor this and ensure that there would be results.)

Under the 2026 national budget, a total of P1.345 trillion has been allocated for the education sector – from preschool to postgraduate – which is a 4.36% GDP share aimed at closing learning gaps in the sector.

“This historic high spending should not be squandered to slow procurement. What is in the budget must leapfrog to classrooms,” Recto said. 

He said some of the items in the “school shopping cart” that must be prioritized are classrooms, teachers, and books.

“For example, the purchase of P120.17 million textbooks and instructional materials are funded in this year’s budget. Plus 121,000 laptops. The rule should be what is budgeted for one fiscal year must be delivered within one school year,” Recto said.

On the other hand, Recto said measures are being implemented to cure delays in classroom construction.

“We have partnered with local governments for them to do the actual construction. There will no longer be a DPWH monopoly on this. Let the stakeholders themselves build what will directly benefit them,” he said.

When it comes to hiring teachers, Recto said this is something that cannot be postponed.

He added that for tertiary education, physical facilities that will enhance the learning experiences of some 1.28 million students enrolled mainly in state universities, will continue to be established. —AOL, GMA Integrated News