Filipinos have expressed support for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) purchase of more than 170,000 MacBook Neo laptops for public school teachers and administrative personnel, with many citing the devices’ durability, extended warranty and lower procurement cost.
READ: DepEd procures over 170,000 MacBooks for teachers, staff
The deal has also sparked online discussions comparing the latest purchase with the government’s previous laptop procurement in 2021, when teachers were provided with Dell Latitude 3420 units.
Sen. Bam Aquino, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, joined the discussion by sharing a meme comparing the two laptop procurements under the administrations of former Education Secretary Leonor Briones and current Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
The meme carried the caption, “Dapat sulit ang bawat pisong ginagastos para sa edukasyon.”
It contrasted the 2021 Dell Latitude 3420, which had an Intel Celeron processor and a reported DepEd procurement price of P58,300 per unit, with the 2026 MacBook Neo, which has an A18 Pro chip and was procured at P43,000 per unit.
According to the comparison, the Dell laptop had a 1TB storage capacity and a three-year onsite warranty, while the MacBook Neo package includes SSD storage and a five-year extended warranty.
The latest procurement drew positive reactions from social media users, particularly over the laptop’s expected lifespan and the opportunity for teachers to use Apple devices.
One Facebook user pointed out that Apple products retain their value over time and can last for years when properly maintained.
“Apple products po kahit ilang years na may value pa rin. Pang-longer use talaga. Pwede yan umabot ng 10yrs bata maingat. Plus may 5 years pang warranty sulit na sulit na,” a Facebook user commented.
“At yung apps naman, mas convenient naman ang Google apps. No need na mga Microsoft apps. Which is mas mahal unless may crack code sila which is illegal. Sayang nga lang sana pre order na lang sila bumili before price increase. 37k bili namin sa Shoppee apple store nung pre order ng Neo,” he added.
Another Facebook user welcomed the opportunity for public school teachers to experience using a MacBook.
“Kung ako mabibigyan nyan magpapasalamat po ako kasi at least makakaexperience ako magkaMacBook. Di ko mabibili yan basta-basta. Kahit di ako sanay sa Apple products, aaralin ko talaga yan. Kaya salamat po DepEd!”
Another commenter cited the device’s durability and security features, saying, “Matibay kasi ang Macbook at hindi basta basta magkaka virus.”
“Mas okay ang reliability ng Mac compared sa Windows,” another X user said.
On X, one user praised the availability of procurement documents on DepEd’s website, saying:
“Nasa website ng deped lahat ng contracts and I think 3 more documents broken down by region. I really applaud the transparency here. They can’t swindle standardized Macbook Neo specs unlike their modus operandi with Windows laptops.”
Another X user defended the procurement by comparing the specifications and costs of the two laptop models.
“You’re forgetting that the Macbook Neo is 10k cheaper, doesn’t have ancient hardware, and has long software support because it’s an Apple device, this is the first time Deped did a good job for procuring tech,” an X user said, posting comparison of the old and new laptop devices.
@imadshield you’re forgetting that the macbook neo is 10k cheaper, doesnt have ancient hardware, and has long software support because its an apple device, this is the first time deped did a good job for procuring tech https://t.co/QibNKS1LlI
— kali666 🔻🏳️⚧️ (she/they) (@kunaiposting) November 3, 2026
DepEd defends MacBook Neo procurement
Angara explained that the department chose the MacBook Neo because of its durability, quality and five-year warranty.
In an interview with TV5, Angara said, “I think our teachers and non-teaching staff deserve the best.”
He maintained that the laptops were the best the department could afford for teachers, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive.
—Rosette Adel
