MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has highlighted that the Department of Education, led by Vice President Sara Duterte, utilized ₱1.69 billion for its travel expenditures during 2022, a figure that more than doubled compared to the previous year.
As indicated in its annual report, COA stated that DepEd had allocated over ₱805 million for travel expenses in the year 2021.
Within the context of its travel disbursements for 2022, approximately ₱1.68 billion was consumed by domestic trips, while the remaining ₱8.69 million was disbursed for international travel.
Upon analyzing the COA report, it is evident that DepEd allocated a larger portion of its travel budget to local excursions for both years.
State auditors have also raised inquiries about DepEd’s limited investment in educational resources and equipment, particularly in the fields of science, mathematics, and technical-vocational livelihood subjects.
In previous instances, COA has similarly questioned the comparatively modest allocation by DepEd towards learning materials.
For the upcoming year, the Marcos administration has proposed a budget of ₱942.7 billion for DepEd in 2024, encompassing a confidential fund of ₱150 million. (ai/mnm)
