TO FURTHER intensify transparency and accountability in the education sector, the Department of Education (DepEd) established a centralized dashboard on Wednesday, where the public can access procurement information and report complaints.

The Procurement Information Hub aims to ensure the timely delivery of textbooks and school infrastructure for the welfare of learners.

In a statement, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said the dashboard will improve transparency and public accessibility for data via a single data-driven platform.

“This dashboard reflects our commitment to President Bongbong Marcos’ vision of a digital-forward and transparent government where every peso for our learners is accounted for,” he said.

“The public will not have to navigate multiple resources to access various documents and reports under the centralized platform,” the DepEd chief added.

It is also seen to reduce risks of corruption as the public can utilize its complaint mechanism, wherein concerned citizens may send their report on procurement-related issues, such as potential fraud or corruption, via email or direct line.

“By opening our procurement processes to the public, we align with the President’s mandate to eliminate corruption and ensure that school infrastructure and supplies are delivered without delay,” Angara said.

The “Report Fraud and Corruption” button redirects users to the full directory of DepEd officials with official direct contact lines and email addresses from the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) down to the Walang Korapsyon complaint center at [email protected].

Overall, the dashboard can help improve monitoring, coordination and decision-making among public schools, stakeholders and program implementers.

Through the information hub, the public can see a comprehensive overview of the total Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), alongside the number of ongoing projects under the DepEd Central Office.

The budget distribution and resource allocation can also be tracked, including funds for learning materials, information and communication technology under the General Appropriations Act.

Detailed information on awarded projects is also disclosed, particularly the “individual project titles, contract amounts, quantity, dates of award and contract signing, and winning bidders.”

The public can access the DepEd Procurement Dashboard Hub via https://airtable.com/appomOegVtuSkp2dS/shroSagZfZzKXp2mo. (PNA)