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MANILA — Only 3 percent or 192 of its 6,379 target classrooms were built by the Department of Education (DepEd) during the last year of then-Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte in 2023, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

"Only 192 (3.01 percent) out 6,379 classrooms were completed/constructed in CY 2023 due to realignments because of modifications in the projects’ design. A total of 4,391 classrooms are still under construction, and 550 are yet to undergo various stages of procurement," the COA annual audit report for fiscal year 2023 read.

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Aside from the creation of new facilities, the DepEd also sought to repair and rehabilitate nearly 8,000 classrooms. However, state auditors found only 208 were completed.

"Of the targeted 7,550 classrooms to be repaired by DepEd, only 208 classrooms were completed, 2,135 are undergoing repair, while a very significant target of 5,207 are still to be procured," it said.

The same report showed a delay and eventual non-accomplishment in the delivery of school furniture.

"Based on the APP, the school furniture should have been delivered on May to June 2023; however, the contracts were only completed in December 2023, and the delivery are only expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024. Thus, the target of 580,394 school seats to be delivered in CY 2023 were not accomplished," COA said.

 The audit team found only three (3.41 percent) of the 88 Last Mile Schools were completed for the fund of fiscal year (FY) 2023.

 "For the FY 2020 to 2022 fund, 73 of the 189 schools were completed, 109 sites are under construction, and the others are still in the procurement process." 

The report said P21,309,285.98 was earmarked for the LMS program. 

According to the DepEd, the LMS program seeks "to address the gaps in resources and facilities of schools that are in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas."

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 The total cost of the Basic Education Facilities program amounts to P816,716,848.51.

 "The high rate on obligations does not fully indicate effectiveness and efficiency since these obligations are only valid commitments based on the awarded contracts/purchase orders where goods are not yet delivered and projects are not yet started," COA said.

 "The Agency must take actions to address issues and concerns that hinder the implementation of projects so that optimum results and benefits on the completed projects would be realized as timely as intended," it added.

 COA noted the Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF) in 14 regional offices were not used "efficiently and effectively" due to "several setbacks." 

"The BEFF Programs for the repair and rehabilitation of school buildings, upgrading of electrical system and provision of furniture and fixtures in 14 ROs were not efficiently and effectively carried out given the several setbacks during the execution such as a) deficient works; and b) lapses in the manner of inspection, delivery, and safekeeping of school furniture," it said. 

"The BEFF is an annual budget of DepEd intended for the improvement and maintenance of school facilities such as the provision of classroom and workshop buildings, replacement of old dilapidated buildings, provision of furniture and fixtures, repair and rehabilitation of classrooms, including heritage buildings, as well as water and sanitation facilities, and electrification," the COA explained.

 In response, the DepEd central office explained the cause of the delays cited by COA.

 "Under the BEF, delay in the procurement process of school furniture is due to revisions and approval of the technical specifications. For the repair and rehabilitation of classrooms, upon approval of the NEP for 2023, the DepEd was ready to conduct Early Procurement Activities (EPA) for this program and the preliminary activities had already been completed," it said. 

"However, when this was transferred to DPWH for implementation per GAA FY 2023, the DPWH had to do their own revalidation and programming of the works. Thus, said transfer caused a delay in the implementation," the agency added. 

DepEd also has 'catch-up plans for the unutilized/underutilized allotments for FY 2023' including school infrastructure and facilities. 

In a House hearing on the DepEd budget on Monday, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who only assumed office last month, pledged to address the issues. 

"We are committed to making extraordinary efforts to address these concerns. We see the low obligation rates and undelivered resources, and we know this cannot continue. We will change the system," he said in response to lawmakers. 

ABS-CBN News has reached out to Duterte, through her spokesperson Michael Poa for her reaction on the matter. 

He said they have yet to receive a copy of the COA report.

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