MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) said it has canceled the call for bidding of more than P4 million funds allocated for procurement of Christmas ham and cheese for its holiday celebration.
This comes after DepEd was asked to explain the controversial post on its website that showed an invitation for bidding on “P4,278,000 of supply and delivery of ham and cheese for DepEd Central Office Christmas celebration.”
DepEd public service affairs director June Arvin Gudoy then responded to reporters in a Viber group: “The call for bidding has been canceled. It was regular procurement but it is inappropriate at this time when our employees are severely affected by recent disasters.”
The DepEd deleted the “invitation for bidding” of the Christmas ham and cheese supply on its website this Saturday.
The education department had reallocated its funds for victims of recent Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses as well as its COVID-19 efforts, Gudoy explained.
“Other regional and division offices not affected by the typhoons have also pitched in to help our teachers and learners on the ground,” Gudoy said.
“After Bicol, our Undersecretaries for Field Operations and Administration will also visit our schools in Cagayan soonest to check the needs of our schools. The welfare of our teachers and learners remains to be our priority and more so at this time,” the DepEd official further said.