Teachers have expressed support for an investigation into alleged "ghost" beneficiaries in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program, urging transparency and accountability in the implementation of the financial assistance scheme.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), in a statement, commended the House Committee on Basic Education, chaired by Rep. Roman Romulo, for launching a public hearing on alleged “ghost” beneficiaries in the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP) under the Department of Education (DepEd).
Earlier, nearly 12,000 fictitious recipients were flagged by the Senate Committee on Basic Education, led by Sen. Win Gatchalian.
TDC is also pushing for transparency and accountability in education programs. “Public funds meant for learners should directly benefit them and not be lost to corruption or mismanagement,” said TDC Chairperson Benjo Basas.
TDC emphasized that “every penny allocated to education must be used efficiently, ensuring that students receive the intended support.”
For the group, addressing these “irregularities" will not only safeguard public funds but also improve the delivery of educational services to Filipino learners.
TDC said it will continue to call for “thorough investigations and concrete measures to prevent similar incidents” to reinforce public trust in the education system.
‘Ghost’ students
Last month, DepEd confirmed that an investigation had been launched into a dozen private schools across nine divisions over allegations of listing “ghost students” to receive government subsidies under the SHS-VP.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2025/2/17/dep-ed-investigates-12-private-schools
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara also assured the public that the agency is working to identify those who may be involved in manipulating the SHS-VP, which provides financial assistance to students enrolling in private schools.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2025/2/19/dep-ed-probes-possible-accomplices
TDC, for its part, welcomed DepEd’s efforts to uncover and halt fraudulent activities involving alleged ghost students under the SHS-VP.
The group pointed out that the discovery of these irregularities underscores the need for stronger transparency and accountability measures in implementing this government-funded support system.
“We fully support DepEd’s initiative to crack down on unscrupulous individuals who manipulate the system for their personal gain, depriving legitimate students of much-needed support and compromising the integrity of the program,” TDC said.
Comprehensive investigation
TDC called on Congress to ensure that a “comprehensive investigation” is conducted to hold those responsible accountable and enact necessary policy reforms to prevent similar abuses in the future.
“The fact that this malpractice has persisted for nearly a decade raises serious concerns about the oversight mechanisms governing the program,” TDC said. “Immediate corrective actions must be taken to protect public funds and ensure that every single cent allocated to education genuinely benefits deserving students,” it added.
While TDC acknowledged the complementary role of private schools in the country’s education system, it reiterated its long-standing position that “public resources should be prioritized for strengthening the public school system.”
TDC noted that instead of “heavily relying on subsidy programs that are vulnerable to abuse,” the government must “ensure adequate funding for public schools—expanding facilities, providing materials, hiring more teachers, and improving the quality of instruction.”
For TDC, “investing directly in public education will not only minimize corruption and inefficiencies but will also provide long-term benefits by ensuring free, accessible, and quality education for all Filipino learners.”