(Ikinalungkot ni Sec. Angara) P12B KALTAS SA BUDGET NG DEPED

Nagbigay ng reaksiyon si Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara kaugnay sa tinapyas na pondo sa pinangangasiwaan niyang ahensya sang-ayon sa 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB)

Sa X post ni Angara nitong Huwebes,  sinabi niyang nalungkot siya sa desisyon ng Kongreso na bawasan ng ₱12 bilyon ang budget ng DepEd.

“Sad to learn that both Houses of Congress have decided to decrease by P12 billion the budget the President proposed for DepEd for 2025,” anito.

Dagdag pa ni Angara: “This reverses a trend in recent years where Congress adds even more to the education budget (save for one year during pandemic).”

Sa ginanap na Bicameral Conference Committee ng mga mambabatas, ₱748.6 bilyon  ang unang inilaang pondo sa DepEd ngunit binabaan ito kaya naging ₱737 bilyon na lamang.

Samantala, sa naunang post ni Angara ay inihayag din niya ang tila panghihinayang sa inihaing computerisation program ng DepEd sa 2025. Ito ay matapos bigyan ng karagdagang ₱289 bilyong pondo ang Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Ayon sa kalihim, “10 billion was cut from the proposed 2025 computerisation program of the DepEd. That could have funded thousands of computers/gadgets for our public school children.”

“Infrastructure is important but so is investing in our people and human capital. The digital divide will widen,” dugtong pa niya.