Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo expressed full support for the approved P710 Billion budget of the Department of Education (DepEd) in 2023 but maintained that the confidential funds of the department should be utilized properly to ensure the safety and protection of students.

In an interview Monday Nov. 14, Tulfo underscored the need to protect students from child molesters, kidnappers, drug dealers, and other child predators.

He added that there were also complaints he received in the past pertaining to rampant bullying and harassment from non-students outside the campus, and he wants these problems addressed.

“We have to protect the welfare of the children. Kung sa Amerika, yung mga estudyante ang madalas nagiging biktima ng mass shooting, sa Pilipinas naman, may mga reports in the past na may mga pusher na nagbebenta ng droga sa paligid ng eskwelahan at iba pang criminal elements prowling the perimeters of the school. The confidential funds can be used to track down who these people are and pre-empt them from victimizing students,” he said.

DepEd already revealed earlier that reports of “sexual grooming cases, sexual abuse, and cases of drugs being sold in schools” either from outside school premises or inside, as well as cases of criminal activities in school, have been rampant.

The Senator from Isabela and Davao said DepEd could lead the information gathering or intelligence networking to help address such concerns considering that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) already have so much on their plates.

“PNP & PDEA are already overwhelmed as it is so it will be best kung magkakaroon ang DepEd ng sariling intelligence network to easily track down people taking advantage of the lack of security in schools, as opposed to aasa na lang sila sa PNP at PDEA,” he said. Moreover, Tulfo said DepEd should ensure that the School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) allotted for the Department must be provided to the teachers and the schools up to the last centavo.

Tulfo mentioned complaints he received in the past from some public school teachers who were forced to shell out money from their own pockets to purchase classroom needs, such as chalk, eraser, and electric fan.

Due to lack of funds, he said teachers compelled students to contribute to expenses for the janitorial services, utility bills, security and other campus maintenance. Some students, meanwhile, were forced to bring “baon” to buy food in the canteen where the proceeds are used for school maintenance.

Worse, if the students cannot come up with the contribution for this kind of scheme, they are not allowed to take the exams or participate in the graduation ceremonies.

Under the proposed 2023 National Expenditure Program, the confidential funds for DepEd amounts to P150 million and its MOOE amounts to 135 million.

Source: http://www.senate.gov.ph