The Philippine Educators Alliance for Community Empowerment (PEACE) Party-list is urging the Department of Education to quickly download the close to P1 billion it has allotted to help schools address their needs as they hold limited in-person classes under the progressive expansion phase.
Likewise, it also called on the DepEd’s constituent units, particularly local offices and schools, to swiftly utilize the said funds.
Abante said the MOOE fund would help other schools catch up with the health and safety requirements, especially as only 6,213 out of the country’s 60,473 schools so far are already prepared for the resumption of in-person classes.
“Nananawagan tayo na mabilis na i-download ang pondo para sa mga paaralan, at na agad din itong gagamitin para sa pangangailangan at kaligtasan ng mga estudyante,” PEACE Party List president and first nominee, Marie Paz T. Abante, said.
The DepEd recently announced that it has allotted P977.48 million in maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) as schools gear up for expanded in-person classes.
Of this amount, P531.36 million would go to elementary schools (Kinder to Grade 6); P303.63 million to Junior High School (Grade 7 to Grade 10); and P142.49 million for Senior High School (Grade 11 to Grade 12).
The department said that the funds would be released to its Regional Offices, which have been authorized “to allocate among schools considering the implementation status of face-to-face classes in their respective regions.”
DepEd said that 4.24 percent or P41.48 million of the total available funds “shall be retained in the Central Office as a contingency fund.”
The MOOE fund’s utilization should be treated as a “necessary step” towards the full re-opening of schools.
Abante said the MOOE fund would help other schools catch up with the health and safety requirements, especially as only 6,213 out of the country’s 60,473 schools so far are already prepared for the resumption of in-person classes.
“Malaki ang maitutulong nito upang hindi mapag-iwanan ang karamihan ng ating mga paaralan. These are badly needed funds that would help pave the way towards the education sector’s recovery,” the long-time educator said.
She added that the MOOE fund’s utilization should be treated as a “necessary step” towards the full re-opening of schools.
“Hindi optional ang mga pondong ito, kundi dapat tratuhing necessary step o kaya pre-requisite sa tuluyang pagbabalik-eskwela ng mga bata. That’s why we must be filled with a sense of urgency and purpose because we are laying the groundwork for the full return to in-person classes, which is the key towards addressing our education crisis,” said Abante.
