The purchase of three printing machines worth P30 million will save the Department of Education (DepEd) millions of pesos in the long run, according DepEd director for technical services Paul Soriano.

Soriano also refuted claims that the printers will be used for “personal” purposes instead of for the benefit of the country’s 44,000 public schools.

“This is a very delayed project. We requested this back in 2007. We bought these machines to replace the old manual machines that the department previously used, which are now junk and useless,” Soriano said in an interview.

DepEd printed materials have always been outsourced costing millions for supplies like news letters, manuals, among others. DepEd can now use the new equipment for their printing needs.

DepEd purchased a P6 million-worth large format printer and two digital printers, worth P12 million each through a bidding process. The three machines are now at the DepEd central office in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Soriano explained that these machines are for official DepEd use only and will be operated by the department’s Materials Production & Publication Division (MPPD) Printing Unit.

The large format printer will be mainly used to produce all 44,000 public schools’ name signage on a tarpaulin, although the frame shall be provided by the school.

“Our intention is to produce school signage kasi lahat ng mga eskwelahan natin, nakakaawa ‘yung itsura ng pangalan. May mga nakapintura sa yero, sa kahoy, sa bato, may naka-ukit sa bakal may parang puntod na nakatayo lang sa lupa, iba-iba ‘yung mode of identification,” Soriano said.

He said this is one way for the all the schools to be unified and identified under one organization. Aside from the name of the school, other information will also be included on the sign such as school identification number, the DepEd seal, among others.

Soriano said that this will help external sectors to correctly identify the schools and prevent confusion especially those with annexes and extension branches.

At an average tarpaulin signage can cost up to P45 per square foot when outsourced, but the in-house machines can produce this at only P5 per square foot.

If the printing job is outsourced, Soriano estimated that the department will spend P297 million for all 44,000 schools but with the new large format printer in hand, it will now only cost P37 million, saving the department P260 million.

Compared to fixed signs, tarpaulins are more fragile, especially with the country’s hot climate and the occasional storms that can easily destroy it. However, Soriano said that these signs can last for up to five years and can be easily replaced at little cost.

“Yung fixed mo na signage, indefinite naman ang estimated life ng mga kahoy eh, dahil sa weather. It’s the same thing here pero ang cost of production is cheaper, ang laki ng tipid kahit pagagawan mo ulit ng bago,” he said.

On the other hand, the digital press machines will be mainly used for the agency’s printed materials such as memorandums, manuals, supplements, and the DepEd newsletter.

“Every printed materials that DepEd needs that must be disseminated to all schools, para lahat din mabigyan ng kopya, hindi ka pagawa ng pagawa sa labas. In fact it’s going to be cheaper if we print it ourselves,” Soriano said.

DepEd is now training MPPD personnel for the operation of the machines.

However, the printing room that will house the machine has yet to be constructed. Meantime, the three large printing equipment are housed inside the MPPD office.