The Department of Education (DepEd) is scheduled to begin distributing 231,725 laptops to public school teachers today, Nov. 9, with suppliers required to complete deliveries to beneficiary schools by March 2027.
The rollout covers 169,008 Mac-based and 62,717 Windows-based laptops for teachers, with another 3,646 Mac-based units for administrative officers. The package includes a five-year warranty, productivity tools, nationwide delivery, and professional training for recipients.
“By opening the process to fair, competitive bidding rather than restrictive procurement, we did not just save Filipino taxpayers at least ₱1.4 billion compared to standard retail prices, we also secured an extended five-year warranty that protects these vital tools for years to come,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said. “Our educators deserve reliable, high-performing technology without the government overpaying a single centavo.”
DepEd said it would issue distribution guidelines prioritizing schools and teachers that have yet to receive government-issued laptops. These include first-time recipients who serve as educational technology champions or help fellow teachers use technology in the classroom.
Schools and division offices will verify recipients’ eligibility. Deliveries will take place over several months, with March 2027 set as the deadline for suppliers to deliver all required units.
The five-year warranty provides extended coverage for devices intended for long-term use in education. DepEd estimates the complete package, including software, delivery, and training, has a commercial value of more than ₱70,000 per unit.
The department purchased the laptops through 78 contracts awarded to four Mac-based laptop suppliers and two Windows-based laptop suppliers. MacBook Neo prices ranged from about ₱41,200 to ₱42,700 per unit, while Windows laptops cost about ₱41,000 to ₱42,200 each.
All prices were within the approved budget ceiling of ₱42,718 per unit.
Angara said DepEd used competitive public bidding rather than negotiated procurement. The department studied available products and suppliers and updated its technical requirements to encourage more bids. DepEd said the process saved at least ₱1.4 billion compared with retail prices.