Cainta, Rizal — The Department of Education (DepEd) has earmarked P137,111,459 for assorted school furniture for the twin regions of Soutnern Tagalog-A (Calabarzon) and  Southern Tagalog-B (Mimaropa) for school year 2009-2010, it was reported here. Southern Tagalog-A DepEd Director
Paraluman R. Giron said the allocation was indicated in DepEd Order No. 43, series of 2009, issued recently by Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus who said the amount was a part of the P1-billion 2009 DepEd School Furniture Procurement Program (SFPP).

Giron said Calabarzon got P92,248,913 of the appropriation, while Mimaropa, headed by Regional
Director Luisa Yu, was allotted P44,862,546.

Lapus’ directive, Giron said, stated that the SFPP budget will be used for the purchase of school furniture such as elementary school tables and chairs, secondary armchairs, teacher’s tables and chairs, science laboratory tables and stools, library tables and chairs, and industrial arts work benches.

Giron said the SFPP appropriation was distributed proportionately by DepEd to the congressional districts in each of the provincial schools divisions in Calabarzon and Mimaropa.

She said Quezon received the biggest furniture allocation for Calabarzon with P23,791,814, followed by Cavite and Laguna with P18,418,980 and P16,425,592, respectively

The other Southern Tagalog-A areas and their respective SFPP budgets, Giron said, are Batangas, P14,209,468; Rizal, P12,088,524, and Antipolo City, P7,322,536.