With the ₱141.6-billion Bayanihan 2 stimulus program expiring on June 30, Wednesday, an education advocacy group bemoaned the slow pace of disbursement that has severely impacted the education sector.
“The slow disbursement of funds intended to ease the burden of education stakeholders has resulted in missed opportunities. Nakakapanghinayang dahil malaking tulong sana ang Bayanihan 2 lalo na para sa mga guro at mag-aaral,” Philippine Educators Alliance for Community Empowerment (PEACE) Party-list President Marie Paz T. Abante said.
Earlier this month, Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee, said that the Department of Education was only able to “obligate” P2.506 billion or 62.6 percent of the P4 billion it was allocated for digital and distance learning, including the provision of P400-million monthly internet allowance and computer tablets for teachers.
“Amid a pandemic where all sectors have been reeling, the infusion of capital would have helped.”
Angara also said that the DepEd also failed to release a single centavo of the P300 million for allowances and subsidies for qualified students allocated by another provision in the law.
Meanwhile, the DepEd itself said that it has only utilized 86 percent of the ₱150 million budget for the printing of self-learning modules as of June 15, despite the school year ending in July.
Laptops for teachers are still under procurement, and the ₱5,000 subsidy and ₱3,000 allowance for over 50,000 public and private school students, respectively, have also not been fully released.
“Amid a pandemic where all sectors have been reeling, the infusion of capital would have helped. Our children’s education would not have suffered as much had we been able to release the funds immediately,” Abante, a long-time educator, said.
“Masasayang ang pondong nailaan, at ang masaklap pa, maa-abandona ang mga programang dapat na paglalagakan ng mga ito,” she added.
Abante also said that the failure of various agencies to obligate some P18.39 billion of the Bayanihan 2 funds could dissuade Congress from passing the planned Bayanihan 3 bill, as their absorptive capacity could be questioned.
“Our children’s education would not have suffered as much had we been able to release the funds immediately.”
Absorptive capacity refers to the ability of an agency to utilize the allotments it has received.
“Maaari kasing maisip ng mga mambabatas natin na hindi na kaya ng mga ahensiya na ipatupad ang dagdag na responsibilidad na nakakabit sa dagdag na pondo,” Abante said.
