DepEd probes purchase of overpriced razors

By PNA and Ina Hernando Malipot

The Department of Education has formed a fact-finding committee to look into the alleged overpricing of razors procured by the agency’s Northern Mindanao office.

DepEd officials in Region 10 allegedly purchased 13 razors at P1,878 each. These are sale for only R200 in department stores.

The DepEd Central Office in Pasig City said the fact-finding body is tasked to examine the relevant facts and documents relating to the transaction.

“Based on initial reports gathered from the field, the items referred to were part of various tools and equipment for Senior High School Technical Vocational and Livelihood Track, procured sometime between April to June 2016 from funds downloaded by the central office sometime in February 2016,” DepEd said.

DepEd said no payment has been made for the razors since the supplier did not comply with the requirements, noting that the incident “appears to have occurred prior to the term of the present administration.”

DepEd assured the public that it will not tolerate any form or act of irregularity in its procurement processes from the central office down to its field offices and that it will release concrete information regarding the issue as soon as possible.

DepEd Northern Mindanao director Allan Francisco in an online news report said the razors’ price was dictated upon them by the Central Office. The razors have been delivered by the winning bidder, Davao City-based N. R. Eustaquio Enterprises Inc. as part of the P9-million project for TVL students, he added.