Newsbreak Chats: How did DepEd laptops end up in retail stores?

MANILA, Philippines – Department of Education (DepEd) laptops intended for use by public school teachers in regions across the country instead ended up being sold in surplus stores and Facebook Marketplace.

The laptops, along with computer laboratory packages, were part of the Department of Education Computerization Program (DCP) that sought to empower public schools by improving their access to technology.

From 2018 to 2020, however, according to a COA audit, DepEd’s DCP had delivered only 7,555 of its revised target of 38,827 packages. To help with the deliveries, DepEd contracted Transpac Cargo Logistics Inc., a little-known company that was able to beat other logistics giants for a P667-million deal.

It may have been the deal of a lifetime for Transpac, but it had limited resources, which prompted it to find subcontractors to help deliver services. In part owing to transition woes, the logistics provider ended up not being paid by DepEd, resulting in a host of other problems, including the blatant sale by subcontractors, of laptops supposed to be for public school teachers.

How did things get to this, who’s responsible, and what can be done?

In this episode of Newsbreak Chats, Rappler investigative head Chay Hofileña sits with multimedia reporters Ryan Macasero and Bonz Magsambol, as well as researcher Ailla dela Cruz, to talk about their discoveries, challenges, and insights while doing their investigation into the DepEd laptop deal.

Watch Newsbreak Chats on Thursday, May 11, at 4 pm. – Rappler.com