EDUCATION Secretary Armin Luistro has ordered the review of procurement process of the department to ensure a more frugal and prudent use of budget allocation.

The review was ordered along with the issuance of guidelines on the availment of the Quick Response Fund (QRF) for school repairs.

Emphasizing the importance of a standby emergency fund, Luistro said the  QRF is intended for prompt construction, repairs and rehabilitation of schools destroyed by fire and natural calamities especially those in coastal areas.

“Given the frequency and intensity of calamities, it would be to the best interest of our students to have a readily available fund for rebuilding so as not to disrupt classes,” added Luistro.

QRF is a lump sum amount included in DepEd’s budget fully allocated for repair, reconstruction, or replacement of school buildings and facilities affected by calamities.

DepEd allots an annual budget of P550 million for QRF.

Programs and projects that are worth scaling up to enhance teaching and learning processes are given priority.

Calamities that are covered by the QRF include fire, as certified by the local fire department, typhoons or floods, as recorded by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration  and  earthquake or earthquake fire, as recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.