#deped laptops

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has concluded that the Department of Education (DepEd) and PS-DBM laptop deal was overpriced by at least Php 979 million, leading them to recommend criminal and administrative charges against those involved. The Senate panel report, released on Thursday, stated that based on evidence — including the findings and recommendations of the Commission on Audit (COA) — the overpricing had reached an amount of at least Php 979 million for the procurement of more than 39,000 laptops during the height of COVID-19 in 2021. "The procurement process for the laptops, intended to support remote learning of students during the pandemic, was conducted by the PS-DBM supposedly upon the request and authority of the DepEd. The Committee, however, found that the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) executed by the DepEd authorizing and delegating the procurement task to PS DBM was antedated which rendered the procurement process questionable and highly irregular," the report explained. Marwan Amil; Other members of the Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) I and SBAC technical working group and Secretariat, whether from DepEd or PS-DBM. In addition, the Senate panel recommended administrative and disciplinary investigations for Grave Misconduct, Serious Dishonesty, Gross Neglect of Duty, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service against DepEd and PS-DBM officials as identified in the report. Read more in our articles including "Senate panel concludes DepEd laptops overpriced by Php 979M" and "Google tests 5GB storage limit for new accounts without phone number verification".