DepEd procures 172,654 MacBooks for teachers

                    MANILA, Philippines-- As part of its efforts to speed up the nation's digital education roadmap, the Department of Education (DepEd) has actually protected 172,654 Apple MacBook Neo laptop computers for public school instructors and administrative personnel across the country.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed the other day that the department had actually effectively concluded competitive bidding for the computerization job, stressing that offering reputable innovation would assist resolve enduring concerns on teachers.

“For the longest time, our instructors have actually brought the heavy individual problem of purchasing their own laptop computers or preserving out-of-date devices simply to stay up to date with lesson strategies. Under the vision of President Marcos, we are altering the story,” Angara stated.

The DepEd has actually up until now granted agreements for 231,725 laptop computers for instructors nationwide, making up 169,008 MacBook Neo systems and 62,717 Windows-based systems.

The procurement likewise consists of 3,646 MacBook Neo laptop computers for administrative officers.

The release of all 172,654 MacBook Neo systems is arranged from November 2026 through March 2027.

DepEd protected the MacBook Neo bundle at roughly P43,000 per system, about P6,900 listed below the design’s Philippine recommended market price of P49,900.

Angara stated the procurement consists of a five-year service warranty, the longest protection used in the department’s laptop computer procurement, compared to the basic 1 year retail service warranty.

The bundle likewise covers integrated performance tools, shipment and logistics and expert advancement for receivers.

“We invite Apple’s involvement in this procurement to bring MacBook Neo to our instructors. It isn’t practically distributing first-rate hardware with five-year guarantees; it’s about offering our teachers the very best tools, backed by robust training so they can concentrate on what matters most: teaching our kids,” Angara stated.

Apple president John Ternus highlighted the offer throughout the business’s fourth-quarter 2026 monetary outcomes teleconference on Monday, explaining it as Apple’s greatest education offer ever for Mac.

“I’m feeling fantastic about the chances ahead for Apple, from our item roadmap and broad variety of services to appealing locations like health, emerging markets, business and education. As one example, we just recently protected our greatest education offer ever for Mac, with the Department of Education in the Philippines. They’re going to release 170,000 MacBook Neos to instructors and personnel,” Ternus stated.

DepEd will likewise team up with Apple to introduce GuroXL, a co-designed training structure for teachers.

In coordination with the National Educators Academy of the Philippines, the program will assist instructors towards Apple Teacher accreditations and specialized innovation management qualifications, according to the department.

ACT: Insufficient

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, nevertheless, stated the 172,654 laptop computers stay grossly inadequate to fulfill the digital requirements of the whole public education labor force.

ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo described that with almost 900,000 public school instructors alone, the current procurement, even when integrated with formerly contracted systems, would leave the huge bulk of instructors without government-provided laptop computers.

While ACT acknowledges the requirement to gear up teachers with reputable digital tools, she worried that the procurement should not exist as satisfying the federal government’s guarantee to offer every instructor with a laptop computer.

“Our teachers are supporting the federal government’s failure to supply even one of the most standard tools for their work. It is deeply unjustified that those currently strained by low wages, extreme work and insufficient advantages should likewise enter into financial obligation simply to do their tasks,” she included.

Bernardo contacted the DepEd to make sure that the laptop computers are fairly priced, totally practical, long lasting and fit to the real working requirements of instructors and administrative workers.

She likewise prompted the department to offer available and continuing training, together with reputable technical assistance and upkeep.

“Schools need to not be required to raffle off a handful of gadgets or its workers to complete for restricted systems when these are necessary tools for their work. Our need stays clear: laptop computer for every single instructor and public funds that really reach schools and education employees,” stated Bernardo.