MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has reaffirmed its commitment to last-mile schools (LMSs) as part of its push to deliver quality education to underserved communities in remote areas.
“Last mile doesn’t have to be last priority,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara stated during his visit to schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Improving Access to Education in Remote Areas
Last-mile schools are those with fewer than four classrooms, often made of makeshift materials, and lacking electricity, proper infrastructure, and funding for repairs or new buildings. These schools are located in hard-to-reach areas, requiring long and difficult travel to access.
Despite these challenges, LMSs cater to fewer than 100 students, with less than five teachers, over 75 percent of whom are from indigenous communities, according to DepEd.
Angara emphasized that President Marcos has directed DepEd to prioritize these schools, aligning with the government’s education equity agenda.
“Our school visits in the Cordillera give us hope, showing that the right interventions can translate to positive outcomes,” he added.
During his visit to Andolor Elementary School, Angara led the turnover of a newly built school facility, ensuring better learning conditions for students. He also inaugurated a new center at the Benguet Special Education Center – Inclusive Learning Resource Center, reinforcing DepEd’s commitment to inclusive and accessible education.
Angara noted that his regular school visits across different regions provide valuable insights for DepEd’s ongoing education reforms.
GSIS Expands Support for Underserved Schools
As part of efforts to aid last-mile schools, 30 underserved schools across the country will each receive P400,000 worth of educational resources under DepEd’s adopt-a-school program.
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) signed an agreement with DepEd to provide P400,000 per school until 2027, targeting disaster-prone areas and last-mile schools.
GSIS general manager Wick Veloso stated that the funding will be used for laptops, tablets, printers, and other essential learning materials.
“The new agreement expands the original 25 schools to 30, continuing the adopt-a-school program’s decade-long track record of supporting 165 schools, particularly in disaster-affected and remote areas,” Veloso explained.
Congress to Investigate Alleged ‘Ghost Beneficiaries’ in SHS Voucher Program
Meanwhile, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon has called for a congressional inquiry into the alleged “ghost beneficiaries” in DepEd’s Senior High School (SHS) voucher program.
Reports indicate that some private schools have been listing non-existent students since 2016 to fraudulently claim government subsidies.
Bongalon warned that preliminary findings suggest that millions of pesos in education funds have been lost due to these false enrollments, undermining the program’s purpose of decongesting public schools and providing financial aid to real students.
Under Vice President Sara Duterte’s leadership, concerns were raised that weak oversight enabled the scheme to persist, with critics claiming that her lack of action allowed the problem to continue unchecked.
While Education Secretary Angara has already launched an internal investigation into 12 private schools in nine divisions for allegedly submitting false enrollment records, Bongalon insisted that Congress must conduct its own inquiry to prevent future abuses.
Beyond the SHS voucher scandal, Bongalon suggested that a pattern of financial mismanagement had emerged during the Duterte administration.
“Remember retired police officer Arturo Lascañas’ testimony in 2017, where he revealed that funds for supposed ‘ghost employees’ in Davao City – during Rodrigo Duterte’s mayoral tenure – were used for clandestine operations?” Bongalon remarked.
As DepEd focuses on uplifting last-mile schools and ensuring accountability in education programs, stronger safeguards and oversight will be essential to protect public funds and the future of Filipino students.
