DepEd's disaster funds 'insufficient,' difficult to access — report

MANILA, Philippines – Restrictive procurement processes have prevented the Department of Education from swiftly accessing its quick response fund before disasters strike, while overall disaster preparedness funding meets only up to 15% of actual needs in high-risk regions like Bicol.

The DepEd Quick Response Fund is a standby emergency fund provided by the Department of Budget and Management for post-disaster reconstruction, repairs and rehabilitation of school buildings.

"DepEd’s disaster funds are insufficient and constrained by procedural limitations, hampering proactive disaster preparedness and effective response efforts," according to a report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) released Tuesday, January 28. 

The commission cited DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla, who said in a November hearing that the department struggles to utilize the quick response fund "proactively before disasters occur due to restrictive procurement processes." 

This limitation, EDCOM 2 noted, hampers the department's ability to prepare and respond effectively.
 
Schools are also currently limited to P20,000 for cleanup activities and P50,000 for minor classroom repairs under their maintenance and operating expenses (MOOE). 

These constraints have led to appeals to the Commission on Audit to exempt clean-up funds from strict audits to facilitate quicker response times.

In Bicol (Region V) — which saw a record number of typhoons devastate its residents last year — the Disaster Preparedness and Response Program funds for both 2023 and 2024 have been depleted, according to DepEd Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo as cited in the report. The pooled funds covered only 10-15% of the region's needs.

To address these challenges, EDCOM 2 recommended building weather-resistant schools designed for local climate risks, implementing real-time disaster monitoring systems using data from UPRI, PAGASA, and PHIVOLCS, and investing in solar power for off-grid schools.

"As extreme weather conditions are expected to worsen in the coming years due to climate change, the educational sector in the Philippines will continue to face significant challenges in maintaining consistent and effective learning environments for its students," the commission said.

EDCOM 2 said the commission and DepEd will study mechanisms to improve the quick response fund's accessibility as Philippine schools face increasing challenges from extreme weather events.

Last December, DepEd directed schools to create detailed "Learning and Service Continuity Plans" for all types of educational disruptions. The order also expanded school heads' power to suspend classes based on local conditions and required schools to have ready plans for distance learning when disasters strike.

Under the guidelines, schools must identify alternative delivery modes for different types of disasters, plan for learning resource distribution, and submit quarterly reports on class suspensions. The order also officially recognized extreme heat and poor air quality as grounds for class suspensions, alongside traditional threats like typhoons and floods.

Schools struggled with class disruptions throughout 2024, from six typhoons that struck Luzon in rapid succession between October and November, to dangerous heat levels that reached up to 43 degrees Celsius in April, forcing hundreds of campuses to suspend in-person classes.