Senate President Win Gatchalian assured that anti-fraud mechanisms will be in place when the new basic education voucher assistance program rolls out.
“Kasabay ng pagpapalawak natin ng voucher program, hindi na rin natin hahayaan ang mga ghost students, unverified beneficiaries, at iba pang klase ng pagsasamantala sa tulong pinansyal na dapat napupunta sa ating mga mag-aaral,” said Gatchalian.
Gatchalian’s statement follows the release of a Commission on Audit (COA) compliance report, which flagged 58 ‘unverifiable’ beneficiaries under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) existing senior high school voucher program. The Commission flagged overpayments worth P938,000 because of these unvalidated beneficiaries.
The Senate and House of Representatives recently ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the Basic Education Voucher Assistance, which will expand the voucher system to cover all learners from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
The ratified measure also mandates DepEd to adopt and implement robust anti-fraud safeguards, including a centralized verification system for learner eligibility and participating school compliance, enhanced audit and monitoring protocols, and the imposition of administrative and legal sanctions. These sanctions include suspension, disqualification, and blacklisting, among others.
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Mekanismo upang maiwasan mga ‘ghost students,’ tiniyak sa basic education voucher bill—–Gatchalian
Tiniyak ni Senate President Win Gatchalian na magkakaroon ng mga mekanismo laban sa anumang uri ng fraud o panlilinlang sa pagpapatupad ng bagong basic education voucher assistance program.
“Kasabay ng pagpapalawak natin ng voucher program, hindi na rin natin hahayaan ang mga ghost students, unverified beneficiaries, at iba pang klase ng pagsasamantala sa tulong pinansyal na dapat napupunta sa ating mga mag-aaral,” ani Gatchalian.
Kasunod ito ng inilabas na compliance report ng Commission on Audit (COA), kung saan pinuna ang 58 “unverifiable” beneficiaries sa kasalukuyang senior high school voucher program ng Department of Education (DepEd). Pinuna ng Komisyon ang mahigit P938,000 na overpayments dahil sa mga beneficiary na hindi ma-validate.
Kamakailan, niratipikahan ng Senado at Senate at Kamara ang bicameral conference committee report sa Basic Education Voucher Assistance Act, kung saan palalawakin ang voucher system upang masaklaw ang lahat ng learners mula Kindergarten hanggang Grade 12.
Inaatasan din ng ratipikadong panukala ang DepEd na magpatupad ng matibay na safeguards laban sa fraud, kabilang ang centralized verification system para sa learner eligibility at compliance ng participating schools, mas pinaigting na audit at monitoring protocols, at pagpapataw ng administrative at legal sanctions. Kabilang sa mga sanction ang suspension, disqualification, blacklisting, at iba pa.
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Photo by Mark Cayabyab / OSP WIN GATCHALIAN
