DepEd to correct concerns raised by COA

MANILA, Oct. 3 (PNA) -- Department of Education (DepEd) undersecretary for finance Teodosio Sangil Jr. has assured that corrective measures have been taken to address the concern raised by the Commission on Audit (COA) in its report that billions of pesos education budget have been wasted.

Sangil likewise claimed that the purchases and disbursement of funds that were audited by COA covers a nine year period.

He added that the DepEd initiative to correct the situation was discussed during the executive committee meeting between DepEd and COA officials months prior to the release of the COA report.

He also pointed out that DepEd has actually taken action way ahead of the COA prescribed 60-day period provided under its audit report.

For his part, DepEd undersecretary for legal affair, Franklin Sunga pointed out that the audit report covers not only DepEd budget.

It also covers funding from congressmen’s priority development assistance funds (PDAF) and special education funds (SEF) from local government units, he added.

Sunga said DepED has no control over the disbursement of PDAF and SEF.

Republic Act 7880 or the Fair and Equitable Allocation of the DECS School and Classroom Budget Act, also known as the “Roxas Law”, according to Sunga, is another reason behind the "perceived misallocation and wasted" of funds.

The “Roxas Law” supposedly provides for a system wherein education funds are allocated nationwide in proportion to the student population of a Congressional district.

The law’s salient provision regarding the distribution of resources states that:

-- Fifty percent (50 percent) to be allocated pro-rata according to each legislative district's student population in relation to the total student population of the country;

-- Forty percent (40 percent) of the total capital outlay allocated only among those legislative districts with classroom shortages, pro-rata to the total classroom shortage of the country as determined by the DepEd; and,

-- Ten percent (10 percent) to be allocated as determined by the DepEd.

Sunga said that as much as they would want to make more resources available where it is greatly needed, the DepED is restricted by the law’s provision that sets the standard for class room construction among others.

Earlier, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus explained that DepED has taken action to address all concern raised in the COA report.