MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Friday that the distribution of learning equipment for students has resumed this month.
It has resumed amid a resolution filed in the House of Representatives seeking to investigate the alleged unsettled warehouse fees by the DepEd to Transpac Cargo Logistics, which was hired to provide the logistics, warehousing, and tagging services.
In an official statement, the DepEd said its Regional and Division offices have immediately started hauling the goods after receiving a letter from Transpac informing the agency that it may now haul the goods stored in its warehouses in the first week of December 2023.
"The DepEd aims to completely haul and deliver the goods to our public schools in the next few weeks," the statement read.
"DepEd remains committed to safeguarding the public interest, so that our learners and stakeholders will not be shortchanged of the education services they deserve," the DepEd said.
It also clarified that contrary to reports, the case is not as simple as an unpaid warehouse fees, noting that "payment to providers may only be done upon the fulfillment of obligations and corresponding submission of complete documentation as required by accounting, auditing and other pertinent rules and regulations for the disbursement of funds."
"We appeal to the public to remain vigilant against the spread of false and misleading information," it said.
The services of Transpac Logistics, DepEd recalled, was procured in 2021 effective from October 8, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
However, Transpac failed to deliver the goods completely and on time.
The DepEd said in its earlier statement that continuous efforts were made to either compel delivery of the goods as required by the contract or for the Department to be allowed to pull out and haul the learning resources from the warehouses but to no avail.
"Thus, in the exercise of diligence, and in the interest of recovering the goods by all means necessary, DepEd was constrained to resort to legal remedies," the statement said.
On Aug.30, 2023, prompted by the lack of any concrete resolution to the issue, the DepEd partially terminated its contract with Transpac, in accordance with Republic Act 9184 or the Procurement Law.
The DepEd also instituted legal proceedings on Nov. 22, 2023 before the court to recover the goods that are still in Transpac’s possession.
House Resolution No. 1516 was filed on Wednesday by Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Party-list Rep. France Castro, Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, urging the Committees on Public Accounts and Basic Education to investigate the matter. (PNA)
