COA uncovers ghost schools and unfinished projects in Davao del Norte

The Commission on Audit’s 2025 report on the Department of Education revealed that school infrastructure projects in Davao del Norte, worth about P83.26 million, were either ghost projects or left substantially incomplete despite payments nearing completion. Inspections found no building at Kamingawan Elementary School and missing solar photovoltaic systems and furniture at Dulyan Integrated School, even though the contracts were almost fully paid.

At Dugayan National High School, only the structural frame was erected, while essential components such as roofing and electrification remained undone at other schools. COA recommended terminating all flagged contracts, blacklisting the responsible contractors, and launching investigations to recover funds and hold officials accountable. The audit also noted deficiencies in monitoring the Senior High School Voucher Program and payroll controls across several DepEd regional offices.