Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has cautioned public school teachers against selling government-issued laptops distributed under the Department of Education (DepEd) Computerization Program, emphasizing that the devices remain state property.
Speaking at a Presidential Communications Office (PCO) press briefing on Tuesday, November 10, Angara stated that teachers found selling the equipment will be held financially accountable.
“Government property po ‘yon. Pag binenta po nila, edi babayaran ho nila ‘yon,” Angara said.
Addressing monitoring efforts, the Education chief explained that school-level information technology officers will function as property custodians to oversee and safeguard the inventory.
“Well, each school has an IT officer, so siya yung parang custodian nung IT equipment sa school,” he explained.
The warning follows the nationwide rollout that began on Monday, November 9, with the initial distribution held in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. The initiative aims to deliver over 231,000 laptops to public school teachers across the country.
The procurement includes 169,008 Apple MacBook Neo units and 62,717 Windows-based laptops for teachers, alongside 3,646 MacBook Neo units designated for administrative personnel. During the Dagupan City turnover, 209 MacBook Neo units were handed over to 10 public schools.
DepEd secured the MacBook Neo units through competitive bidding at roughly ₱43,000 each—lower than the ₱49,900 retail price. Each package includes a five-year warranty, delivery services, productivity software, and professional training for recipients.
The department noted that the hardware is intended to assist educators in preparing lesson plans, filing administrative reports, accessing digital teaching materials, and enhancing classroom instruction.