{"id":20806,"date":"2025-02-28T08:30:53","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T08:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/staging\/6915\/?p=20806"},"modified":"2025-02-28T08:30:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T08:30:53","slug":"deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/staging\/6915\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/","title":{"rendered":"DepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies"},"content":{"rendered":"

MANILA, Philippines \u2014 The Department of Education (DepEd)<\/strong> has reaffirmed its commitment to last-mile schools (LMSs)<\/strong> as part of its push to deliver quality education<\/strong> to underserved communities in remote areas.<\/p>\n

“Last mile doesn\u2019t have to be last priority,”<\/strong> Education Secretary Sonny Angara<\/strong> stated during his visit to schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Improving Access to Education in Remote Areas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Last-mile schools are those with fewer than four classrooms<\/strong>, often made of makeshift materials<\/strong>, and lacking electricity, proper infrastructure, and funding for repairs or new buildings<\/strong>. These schools are located in hard-to-reach areas<\/strong>, requiring long and difficult travel<\/strong> to access.<\/p>\n

Despite these challenges, LMSs cater to fewer than 100 students<\/strong>, with less than five teachers<\/strong>, over 75 percent of whom are from indigenous communities<\/strong>, according to DepEd.<\/p>\n

Angara emphasized that President Marcos<\/strong> has directed DepEd to prioritize these schools<\/strong>, aligning with the government\u2019s education equity agenda<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“Our school visits in the Cordillera give us hope, showing that the right interventions can translate to positive outcomes,”<\/strong> he added.<\/p>\n

During his visit to Andolor Elementary School<\/strong>, Angara led the turnover of a newly built school facility<\/strong>, ensuring better learning conditions for students. He also inaugurated a new center at the Benguet Special Education Center \u2013 Inclusive Learning Resource Center<\/strong>, reinforcing DepEd\u2019s commitment to inclusive and accessible education<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Angara noted that his regular school visits across different regions<\/strong> provide valuable insights<\/strong> for DepEd\u2019s ongoing education reforms.<\/p>\n

GSIS Expands Support for Underserved Schools<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As part of efforts to aid last-mile schools, 30 underserved schools across the country<\/strong> will each receive P400,000 worth of educational resources<\/strong> under DepEd\u2019s adopt-a-school program<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)<\/strong> signed an agreement with DepEd to provide P400,000 per school until 2027<\/strong>, targeting disaster-prone areas and last-mile schools<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

GSIS general manager Wick Veloso<\/strong> stated that the funding will be used for laptops, tablets, printers, and other essential learning materials<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“The new agreement expands the original 25 schools to 30, continuing the adopt-a-school program\u2019s decade-long track record of supporting 165 schools, particularly in disaster-affected and remote areas,”<\/strong> Veloso explained.<\/p>\n

Congress to Investigate Alleged \u2018Ghost Beneficiaries\u2019 in SHS Voucher Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon<\/strong> has called for a congressional inquiry<\/strong> into the alleged “ghost beneficiaries”<\/strong> in DepEd\u2019s Senior High School (SHS) voucher program<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Reports indicate that some private schools<\/strong> have been listing non-existent students<\/strong> since 2016 to fraudulently claim government subsidies.<\/p>\n

Bongalon warned that preliminary findings suggest that millions of pesos in education funds<\/strong> have been lost due to these false enrollments, undermining the program\u2019s purpose<\/strong> of decongesting public schools and providing financial aid to real students<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Under Vice President Sara Duterte\u2019s leadership<\/strong>, concerns were raised that weak oversight enabled the scheme to persist<\/strong>, with critics claiming that her lack of action allowed the problem to continue unchecked<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

While Education Secretary Angara<\/strong> has already launched an internal investigation<\/strong> into 12 private schools in nine divisions for allegedly submitting false enrollment records<\/strong>, Bongalon insisted that Congress must conduct its own inquiry<\/strong> to prevent future abuses.<\/p>\n

Beyond the SHS voucher scandal<\/strong>, Bongalon suggested that a pattern of financial mismanagement<\/strong> had emerged during the Duterte administration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“Remember retired police officer Arturo Lasca\u00f1as\u2019 testimony in 2017, where he revealed that funds for supposed \u2018ghost employees\u2019 in Davao City \u2013 during Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s mayoral tenure \u2013 were used for clandestine operations?”<\/strong> Bongalon remarked.<\/p>\n

As DepEd focuses on uplifting last-mile schools<\/strong> and ensuring accountability in education programs<\/strong>, stronger safeguards and oversight will be essential to protect public funds and the future of Filipino students<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MANILA, Philippines \u2014 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\u2019t 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\u2019s 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 \u2013 Inclusive Learning Resource Center, reinforcing DepEd\u2019s commitment to inclusive and accessible education. Angara noted that his regular school visits across different regions provide valuable insights for DepEd\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s decade-long track record of supporting 165 schools, particularly in disaster-affected and remote areas,” Veloso explained. Congress to Investigate Alleged \u2018Ghost Beneficiaries\u2019 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\u2019s 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\u2019s purpose of decongesting public schools and providing financial aid to real students. Under Vice President Sara Duterte\u2019s 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 Lasca\u00f1as\u2019 testimony in 2017, where he revealed that funds for supposed \u2018ghost employees\u2019 in Davao City \u2013 during Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s mayoral tenure \u2013 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18301],"tags":[2108,19226],"class_list":["post-20806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-state-of-the-nation","tag-deped","tag-sonny-angara"],"yoast_head":"\nDepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies - Energy Buzz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies - Energy Buzz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"MANILA, Philippines \u2014 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\u2019t 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\u2019s 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 \u2013 Inclusive Learning Resource Center, reinforcing DepEd\u2019s commitment to inclusive and accessible education. Angara noted that his regular school visits across different regions provide valuable insights for DepEd\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s decade-long track record of supporting 165 schools, particularly in disaster-affected and remote areas,” Veloso explained. Congress to Investigate Alleged \u2018Ghost Beneficiaries\u2019 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\u2019s 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\u2019s purpose of decongesting public schools and providing financial aid to real students. Under Vice President Sara Duterte\u2019s 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 Lasca\u00f1as\u2019 testimony in 2017, where he revealed that funds for supposed \u2018ghost employees\u2019 in Davao City \u2013 during Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s mayoral tenure \u2013 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.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Energy Buzz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-28T08:30:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Angara_2023_08_19_07_12_25.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"860\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/344f8dbaaecf75e51367eef93f492892\"},\"headline\":\"DepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-28T08:30:53+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":588,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/staging\\\/6915\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/Angara_2023_08_19_07_12_25.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"deped\",\"Sonny Angara\"],\"articleSection\":[\"State of the Nation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/energybuzz.ph\\\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\\\/\",\"name\":\"DepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies - 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Energy Buzz","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"DepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies - Energy Buzz","og_description":"MANILA, Philippines \u2014 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\u2019t 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\u2019s 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 \u2013 Inclusive Learning Resource Center, reinforcing DepEd\u2019s commitment to inclusive and accessible education. Angara noted that his regular school visits across different regions provide valuable insights for DepEd\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s decade-long track record of supporting 165 schools, particularly in disaster-affected and remote areas,” Veloso explained. Congress to Investigate Alleged \u2018Ghost Beneficiaries\u2019 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\u2019s 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\u2019s purpose of decongesting public schools and providing financial aid to real students. Under Vice President Sara Duterte\u2019s 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 Lasca\u00f1as\u2019 testimony in 2017, where he revealed that funds for supposed \u2018ghost employees\u2019 in Davao City \u2013 during Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s mayoral tenure \u2013 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.","og_url":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/","og_site_name":"Energy Buzz","article_published_time":"2025-02-28T08:30:53+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":860,"url":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Angara_2023_08_19_07_12_25.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/#\/schema\/person\/344f8dbaaecf75e51367eef93f492892"},"headline":"DepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies","datePublished":"2025-02-28T08:30:53+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/"},"wordCount":588,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/staging\/6915\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Angara_2023_08_19_07_12_25.jpg","keywords":["deped","Sonny Angara"],"articleSection":["State of the Nation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/","url":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/deped-to-prioritize-last-mile-schools-congress-probes-shs-voucher-anomalies\/","name":"DepEd to Prioritize Last-Mile Schools, Congress Probes SHS Voucher Anomalies - 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