WTF?! Imagine paying $1,042 for a laptop computer that is not a mid-range Windows mannequin or a MacBook however one powered by Intel’s finances Celeron processor. Then think about to procure virtually 40,000 of them. That’s what The Philippines’ Department of Education did, ensuing within the nation’s authorities launching a fraud probe into the way it occurred and who’s accountable.
The Reg writes that after colleges in The Philippines closed because of Covid-19 outbreaks, the federal government allotted funds to buy almost 70,000 laptops so academics may proceed working.
But the Philippines Commission of Audit discovered some vital discrepancies with the acquisition. The Department of Education allotted P35,046.50, or $627, for every laptop computer, but it surely finally agreed to pay P58,300 ($1,042) for each unit, and this was regardless of one bidder providing a cheaper price of P43,000 ($770).
Because it ended up paying extra for every unit than it had budgeted for, the DoE purchased simply 39,583 laptops as a substitute of the deliberate 68,500.
Paying simply over a grand for a laptop computer is not unhealthy in case you’re shopping for one thing just like the Asus Zenbook 13, certainly one of our Best Laptop picks that may be specced with an Intel Core i7-1165G7 for simply over a grand. You may additionally get a base mannequin MacBook Air with the superb M1 chip for $999—$43 lower than what the machines in query value.
However, the laptops purchased on this case have been powered by Intel’s finances Celeron CPUs. A fast look on Amazon reveals an Asus laptop computer sporting a Celeron N4020 with a $249 price ticket, and there are a lot of others with related processors promoting even cheaper. There’s additionally the truth that Celeron laptops aren’t a lot use past probably the most fundamental of duties.
Moreover, the auditor discovered that in 2020, the Department of Education paid $581 per unit for Dell machines operating an Eighth-gen Core i5 CPU.
Now, the schooling minister and vp Sara Duterte has ordered the division of schooling to request the Commission of Audit to conduct a fraud inquiry.
“While we’re not but declaring that there’s a fraudulent transaction that occurred at the moment, we’re additionally not saying that there’s none,” Duterte mentioned.
