DPWH Mindoro defends P930,000 laptop purchase

A DPWH office in Oriental Mindoro has defended buying five laptops for P930,000 after facing criticism over alleged overpricing.

The Southern Mindoro District Engineering Office said the purchase complied with government procurement laws and technical requirements.

The office said three laptops were needed for specialist engineering software including AutoCAD and Civil 3D, while two were for general office use.

The cost included both high-performance hardware and licensed software such as Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro.

Home and single-language licenses are not permissible for enterprise or government use, according to DPWH statement, citing compliance and cybersecurity requirements.

The laptops, purchased in 2024, are being used by staff who prepare infrastructure plans for the province.

The statement followed viral social media criticism alleging the devices were overpriced compared to consumer laptops.

Independent analysis suggests high-performance laptops suitable for engineering software typically cost between P120,000 and P180,000 per unit, depending on specifications and warranty terms.

Professional software licenses add approximately P20,000 to P25,000 per device.

At P186,000 per laptop, the purchase price falls at the higher end of market rates but remains within bounds for enterprise procurement, particularly when factoring in government compliance requirements and vendor support services.

However, procurement specialists note that bulk purchases typically attract volume discounts, and the lack of detailed cost breakdowns has invited questions about value for money.

The Department of Public Works and Highways office said it remained committed to “responsible fiscal management and transparent governance”.