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Philippines

DepEd CAR receives new vehicles, drones and laptops

By Susan Aro

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Oct.11(PIA) – The Department of Education is boosting the capability of its regional and provincial offices in the delivery of online know-how in education with the refurbishment of equipment and provision of vehicles for the monitoring of school infrastructures and in disasters or during emergency situations.

Education Undersecretary Alain del Pascua led the formal turn-over to DepEd Cordillera of service vehicles and equipment last October 8 at the Special Education Center(SPED) in Wangal, this town.

Turned-over were nine pick up vehicles and seven vans, 18 drones and a number of laptops.

The refurbishment of equipment such as such as laptops will facilitate the delivery of services to the students and other stakeholders, and is timely during the pandemic period, said Del Pascual.

Those who will be provided with the laptops are planning officers and disaster risk reduction (DRRM) coordinators.

Alternative Learning System mobile teachers will also be provided with laptops and tablets to facilitate teaching in communities

The vehicles will be used by engineers for inspection of school facilities and structures and the DRRM coordinators in times of calamity or crisis, Del Pascual said.

One of the concerns raised in a meeting with DepEd engineers and architects in 2016 was the need for vehicles to be used in the monitoring of school facilities in far-flung areas. With no vehicle to use during inspection or monitoring activities, they ride with contractors which may largely affect objective reporting of findings, according to Del Pascua. This led to the programming of procurement of vehicles for such purpose.

Stressing the importance of knowing what is happening and of objective reporting, Del Pascua assured his support in the monitoring of physical facilities and infrastructure backed up by local government units.

Del Pascua also led the inauguration and turn over of the three-story school building of SPED Center, here. He also turned over a rehabilitated Gabaldon school building, one of the original school structures in the country, in Kapangan municipality. (JDP/SCA-PIA-CAR)