THE Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd 7) has urged school division superintendents and other school officials to scrutinize the maternity leave applications carefully.

This as DepEd’s Central Office in Manila is initiating a probe on the alleged modus involving teachers filing bogus maternity benefit claims that occurred in a school division in Taguig.

Salustiano Jimenez, DepEd 7 director, told SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2022 that the moment he discovered the issue last year, he immediately instructed officials of its finance division and payroll services unit to check the authenticity of the documents filed by teachers, especially those for maternity leaves.

He said he mandated all assigned personnel to check the documents carefully and see to it that those submitted, even for other leave applications, are original copies.

He said he also reminded the school division superintendents and assistant superintendents to remind their teachers to be honest with their applications.

Jimenez assured that as of this time, their teachers have not committed any infraction that follows the same modus that occurred in Taguig.

Based on DepEd 7’s 2022 data, Central Visayas has about 77, 000 DepEd personnel, of which 50 percent or 38,000 are women.

He said there were quite a number of women teachers who filed for maternity leave in 2022, but he could not provide exact figures.

Be truthful

Jimenez reminded teachers to be truthful and honest about their requests for leaves.

“It is not morally good, and of course, in the eyes of God, it is not really correct. We have to be reminded by that since we are in DepEd. DepEd is the supposed conveyor of truth, the catalyst of change for the better. So, how can we make our society a better place to live in...if we ourselves are not honest to ourselves and not honest in our doings?” said Salustiano.

Last year, DepEd Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio ordered a probe on the controversy after finding out that some teachers in Taguig allegedly filed maternity leaves up to 11 times in three years.