Senator Sonny Angara on Friday urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to expedite the procurement and release of connectivity load for its teachers, as the budget for this purpose has been available for some time already under the 2021 national budget and the economic stimulus package Congress passed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Angara pointed out its release should have been done months earlier as it is also required under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2.

Under Bayanihan 2, a total of P4-billion was allocated to the DepEd for the “implementation of digital infrastructures and alternative learning modalities.”

The Senate Finance Committee chief said this could be a source of funding for internet connectivity for teachers since a huge part of alternative learning is now being done online.

However, he said records show DepEd recently managed to obligate P2.506-billion or 62.6 percent of the P4-billion allocation. Only P32-million has been disbursed as of May 7, 2021 or 1.28 percent of the amount.

“We have heard that the DepEd will now be providing connectivity load to their teachers worth 30 to 35 GB worth of data a month starting in June. This should be done with haste especially with the Bayanihan 2 extension expiring on June 30,” Angara said in a statement.

“Ang dami na natin nabalitaan tungkol sa mga guro na nahihirapan na sa kanilang budget dahil sila pa ang gumagastos para sa kanilang mga load (We have heard of stories of teachers having a hard time with their own budget, because they are shouldering the cost of internet load),” he pointed out.

“Dapat na mabigay na agad sa kanila ang load para sa data lalo na’t matagal na naman nandiyan ang budget para dito, (They should give the data load allowance especially since the budget for this is still available),” Angara added.

The senator said there are also available funds under the 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA), particularly the maintenance and other operating expenditures (MOOE) and cash allowances that the DepEd can tap to help the teachers with their connectivity requirements.

Aside from the P4-billion budget for the implementation of digital infrastructures and alternative learning modalities, he also pointed out the DepEd still has P300-million under Bayanihan 2 for the provision of subsidies and allowances to qualified students that has yet to be obligated.

The DepEd, he said, should submit to Congress a report on how it utilized their budget under the Bayanihan 2, particularly on these two items that have recorded very low obligations rates as of this month.

“Education under the COVID-19 pandemic has been very challenging to say the least. Both our teachers and students have encountered difficulties in alternative and distance learning,” he said.

“We should provide them with all possible assistance to cope with these challenges until face-to-face learning is once again allowed in the country,” Angara reiterated.