Insider Spotlight
The laptops will be distributed to public school teachers and administrative staff from November 2026 through March 2027, according to DepEd.
Why it matters
The procurement directly addresses a long-running problem in basic education: teachers often using personal devices or outdated equipment for lesson planning, reporting, and classroom work.
“For the longest time, our teachers have carried the heavy personal burden of buying their own laptops or maintaining outdated equipment just to keep up with lesson plans. Under the vision of President Marcos, we are changing the narrative,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
“We welcome Apple’s participation in this procurement to bring MacBook Neo to our teachers,” he added. “It isn’t just about handing out world-class hardware with five-year warranties; it’s about giving our educators the best tools, backed by robust training so they can focus on what matters most: teaching our children.”
By the numbers
DepEd said it has so far awarded contracts for 231,725 laptops for teachers nationwide under the DepEd Computerization Program. The total includes 169,008 MacBook Neo units and 62,717 Windows-based units.
The latest Apple procurement also includes 3,646 MacBook Neo laptops for administrative officers, bringing the full MacBook Neo package to 172,654 units.
DepEd secured each MacBook Neo at about P43,000, or roughly P6,900 below the Philippine suggested retail price of P49,900 for the base model. The package includes a five-year warranty, built-in productivity tools, delivery and logistics, and professional development for recipients.
What they’re saying
Apple also highlighted the deal during its fourth-quarter 2026 financial results conference call on Tuesday morning, Manila time.
“I’m feeling great about the opportunities ahead for Apple, from our product roadmap and broad range of services to promising areas like health, emerging markets, enterprise, and education,” Apple CEO John Ternus said. “As one example, we recently secured our biggest education deal ever for Mac, with the Department of Education in the Philippines. They’re going to deploy 170,000 MacBook Neos to teachers and staff.”
What’s next
DepEd and Apple will launch GuroXL, a training framework designed with the National Educators Academy of the Philippines to guide educators toward Apple Teacher Certifications and tech leadership credentials.
Cluster and mega-cluster launches across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are set to begin this November.
— Edited by Daxim L. Lucas
