How will DepEd decide who gets the 170,000 new laptops?
With the Department of Education set to distribute more than 170,000 new laptops to public school teachers, questions have emerged about who will qualify to receive the devices.
In newly released guidelines, the agency noted that since the available units for the MacBook Neos are limited, not all teachers and staff will be able to receive the devices in the first round of distribution.
"Sisikapin nating matiyak ang patas at maayos na pamamahagi ng mga laptop," they assured.
According to DepEd, teachers and staff who have yet to receive a laptop will be given priority, provided they have an active teaching assignment at their listed school during selection and distribution.
They will be followed by those who have never been issued a laptop, while eligible previous recipients will be considered third in the priority list.
Those who still have a working laptop issued by the government or school between Jan. 1, 2023 and Nov. 6, 2026 will not be eligible. Teachers who have bought their own laptop with their own money will not be disqualified and can still be considered for the distribution.
Previous laptop recipients can also still qualify if they can present official records confirming that their previously issued device was declared unserviceable and decommissioned, lost, or rendered unusable due to a calamity, or lost due to theft or robbery.
DepEd stressed that the selection process will not be based on title or seniority. Rather, it will take into account how actively teachers use technology in delivering instruction to their students.
A draw will be conducted if the available units are insufficient for a priority group, with the witnesses being the teacher representative and the school property custodian.
The list of potential recipients will be submitted to DepEd by the school head by Nov. 15. If there are errors in the proposed list, it can be corrected. If these are unresolved, teachers can elevate the matter to the Schools Division Office.
Once issued, the laptops must be for official use only. This means they cannot be sold, pawned, or transferred without authorization from the School Head and Property Custodian.
Should the teacher switch schools, the laptop accountability must be formally transferred to the receiving school. Those who are retiring or resigning from their teaching career must return the gadget to the Supply Officer or Property Custodian.
In case the laptop gets lost, stolen, or damaged, recipients must immediately report it to the School Head, Supply Officer, or Property Custodian.
The laptop distribution comes after Apple struck a partnership with DepEd to supply 170,000 MacBook Neos for teachers and staff in the Philippines.
In a statement, DepEd said it procured the entry-level Apple laptops for P43,000 per unit, which is lower than the gadget's suggested retail price of P49,990 for the base model. Included in the package is a five-year warranty, built-in productivity tools, and delivery and logistics.
According to a PhilSTAR Tech report, recipients of the MacBook will also have access to Apple Education Community, which teaches educators about using the company's devices. Over 70 custom lesson plans have already been created by Filipino educators and published on the platform.
Released in March 2026, MacBook Neo is Apple's cheapest laptop yet, with prices starting at P49,990 for the 256GB version.
It's powered by an A18 Pro chip, the same processor as the iPhone 16 Pro, and is capable of everyday tasks like web browsing, streaming content, and editing photos. It also supports Apple Intelligence, which makes it capable of AI tasks.
The device also boasts up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge, a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, and a 1080p FaceTime HD camera.
The entry-level laptop comes in four colors: Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo.