Gov’t saves P2.63 B in textbook procurement

The Philippine government has saved some P2.63 billion due to a new system of textbook procurement, the World Bank said yesterday.

World Bank country director Joachim Von Amsberg said the government was able to generate savings after it implemented the new procurement policy.

Amsberg said the cost of textbooks this year is only about half of the cost of textbooks in 2000.

"With the procurement reforms in the Department of Education, the (Philippine) government was able to significantly reduce the cost of textbooks. The cost of books acquired in the past six years has been reduced by half," he said.

Because of the savings, the textbook ratio in public schools for Mathematics, Science, English and Filipino would now be 1:1, or one textbook per one public elementary or high school student.

In a text message to The STAR, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus added that the government was able to save a lot because of the World Bank’s new "international competitive bidding" for all textbook purchases. Public biddings have also become transparent.

He lamented though that recent calamities such as the typhoon "Milenyo" and "Reming," as well as the permanent injunction on textbooks by a Regional Trial Court in Manila prevented the delivery of 12 million textbooks.

"We regret the fact that the trial court in Manila has issued an injunction on the delivery of textbooks. These are long awaited textbooks," Lapus said.