ACT TEACHERS Partylist Rep. France Castro on Wednesday questioned the Department of Education’s allocation and distribution of laptops under RA 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.

Castro explained that the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act provided P4 billion appropriations to assist the DepEd in the implementation of Digital Education, Information Technology and Digital Infrastructures and Alternative Learning Modalities, including printing and delivery of self-learning modules of the DepEd.

The law also included other provisions for other government projects that deliver assistance to teachers to fulfill their duties amid the blended distance learning modalities during the pandemic.

“Many public school teachers were dismayed after the release of DepEd Memorandum 00-0821-0062 which provided the priorities for the distribution of these laptops. Maraming nagtanong, bakit si teacher ang naghirap pero si bossing ang nakinabang?” Castro said.

According to the DepEd memo, the priority distribution would be 25 laptops per Regional Office; 15 laptops each for small, 20 for medium, 25 for large, and 30 for very large School Division Offices; and one laptop each per Implementing Unit and District Office.

The DepEd allotted only 115 laptops per Legislative District which will be given to schools or teachers.

“Umasa ang mga guro natin na mabibigyan sila ng mas makabuluhang suporta sa ilalim ng Bayanihan to Recover as One Act ng mga gadgets para sa kanilang blended distance learning dahil kahit na marami ang mga kabataan ang gumagamit ng self-learning module, kailangan pa rin ang mga laptop para sa mga guro lalo na para magawa ang mga nire-require sa kanila ng ahensiya. Sa bisa ng memo na ito, aasa na lamang muli ang mga guro na makabilang sana sa 115 kada Legislative District na suwerteng maaaring mabigyan ng laptop,” Castro added.

“The intent of RA 11494 is to alleviate the teachers’ economic burden and prevent them from being forced to use money from their own pockets for laptops and internet subscription which are necessities in the fulfillment of their duties,” she said.

The lawmaker said studies revealed that most teachers had to use their own money to acquire devices such as laptops, mobile phones, printers and internet connection services to fulfill their duties and facilitate blended distance learning.

She stressed that investing in the needs of  teachers by giving them just remuneration, ensuring that they will not have out-of-pocket expenses, and removing teaching overloads will enable them to perform better in their teaching tasks and provide the youth access to quality education.

“We urge the House Leadership to urgently conduct an inquiry on the matter and hopefully teachers would have adequate support for the upcoming 2nd pandemic school year,” Castro said.