Textbook Scam investigation (2006-2007)

Summary:

Since late 2006, Ping Lacson investigated anomalies involving textbook deals entered into by the DepEd, after exposing flaws in textbooks published by Vibal Publishing Group. These flaws included inverted pages in at least 60,000 elementary textbooks scheduled for delivery. Lacson also noted that despite the disqualification of Vibal and its allies by the interagency bids and awards committee (IABAC), the World Bank that funded the textbook project chose to ignore the finding and awarded the contract to Vibal.

Citing records reaching his office, Lacson said the Department of Budget and Management awarded almost P500 million in textbook contracts to two disqualified bidders in September 2006 – a "blatant and gross violation of procurement laws."

Lacson said that from 1999 to 2004, a single "group" of publishing companies sharing common officers and stockholders had a virtual stranglehold on textbook procurement deals, raking in more than 75 percent of the contracts.

Effect:

In June 2007, Malacañang and the Department of Education finally scrapped the anomalous P1.3-billion textbook deal, in the process saving taxpayers their hard-earned money.