DEPED, Pasig City — The Department of Education (DepEd) will be distributing 62,000 laptops and smart TV packages worth ₱1.8 billion for public schools across 16 regions by the second half of the year as part of its computerization program.

Based on the latest data from DepEd, the agency has procured 23,614 smart TV packages, 33,539 laptops for teachers and 5,328 laptops for non-teaching personnel.

According to education secretary Edgardo 'Sonny' Angara, Calabarzon, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas will receive the highest allocation for school technology equipment.

Angara clarified that the rollout continues despite a ₱10-billion budget cut that initially hampered DepEd’s computerization program, reducing its original target of 800,000 laptops and smart TVs for the year.

“Our goal is for each school to have an ‘e-cart’ or roving computer lab that all students can use. Additionally, we are providing various software tools to support our teachers,” he cited to stress that the initiative aims to improve the country’s low teacher-to-laptop ratio, which remains a serious challenge for DepEd.

Prior to this, the Year 2 report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education or EDCOM II had emphasized that better access to technology empowers teachers to be more effective, particularly in regions where alternative learning setups remain necessary due to natural calamities.

"Apart from benefiting teachers, the laptops are expected to enhance students’ learning assessments by familiarizing them with online platforms, sharpening their technological navigation skills, and strengthening problem-solving abilities," the DepEd chief noted.