With the spending cap of the Maintenance and other Operating Expenses (MOOE) increased, the Department of Education (DepEd) expressed confidence that it will be able to “better respond” to the needs of public schools nationwide.

Endorsed by Senators Sonny Angara and Pia Cayetano, the new general provision in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA) increases the capitalization threshold from P15,000 to P50,000 chargeable to the MOOE.

“We thank Senators Angara and Cayetano for this much needed assistance for our teaching and non-teaching personnel at DepEd,” said Undersecretary for Finance and Spokesperson Annalyn Sevilla.

The new provision, DepEd said, will allow “more flexibility” for the schools and offices under the agency to directly procure printers, laptops, tablets, and other important items to help in their daily operations and the conduct of classes.

“This shall enable our field offices and schools to purchase exactly the items they need, when they need it,” Sevilla said.

DepEd said that previously, its Field Units and Schools were only able to procure items up to the allowable P15,000 limit as stipulated in the Government Accounting Manual or GAM.

Meanwhile, Secretary Leonor Briones also thanked the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for their “invaluable assistance.”

Briones said that COA and to DBM provided prompt response and guidance in the “matter of our request for the increase in capitalization threshold.”

This, she added, is a “remarkable legacy” that the Chairpersons of the Committee on Finance and Committee on Appropriation, at the Senate and Lower House respectively, “shall leave not only for the benefit of the Department of Education, but of the entire government as well.”

DepEd started the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes in basic education on Nov. 15.

Currently, DepEd is expanding its pilot implementation of face-to-face classes --- with classes recently opening in Metro Manila schools starting Dec. 6.