By Ruby Bernardo
Chairperson, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines
The Department of Education (DepEd) requiring teachers to physically report to schools for the “Learning Systems Reform Policies Orientation” during their Proportional Vacation Pay (PVP) days is an unnecessary and impractical set-up and another glaring example of ill-conceived directives.
The conduct of whole-day, in-person “watch party” orientations could have easily been attended online from home, sparing teachers from additional expenses and inconvenience during what is supposed to be their vacation period.
If the orientation is delivered online, why force teachers to travel to schools just to sit together and watch the same screen? This unnecessary set-up only wastes teachers’ time, money, energy, and school resources.
Amid relentless inflation and the worsening cost of living, compelling teachers to physically attend the orientation imposes additional personal expenses.
Gipit na gipit na ang mga guro dahil sa kapos na sweldo at kakarampot na benepisyo. Mismong PERA na dagdag-benepisyo sana sa panahon ng krisis ay napag-iwanan na ng panahon at implasyon. Kaya hindi talaga makatwiran na pagastusin pa ang mga guro para pumasok at magtipon kahit kaya namang gawin sa bahay. May pakunswelo kunong P600 na binigay, kinaltasan pa at humihingi pa ng resibo.
Teachers from different regions reported highly inconducive conditions in orientation venues, particularly due to extreme heat and poor ventilation in schools and covered courts.
While teachers endure discomfort in venues amid high heat index levels, DepEd officials speak of reforms and innovation. The irony is hard to miss. There is nothing transformative about policies that disregard teachers’ welfare and basic comfort.
We disagree with DepEd officials who reportedly urged teachers to “focus and listen carefully” to avoid criticizing the agency’s system reforms, describing the statement as both ironic and revealing.
Gusto ng DepEd na makinig nang maayos ang mga guro para raw walang masabi sa mga pagbabago sa sistemang sila lang naman ang nagpasya. Una sa lahat, nakonsulta at nakinig ba sa amin ang pamunuan ng ahensya bago aprubahan ang mga polisiya at programang kami naman ang magpapatupad?
The issue reflects a deeper problem in the department’s policy-making process, where directives are imposed top-down with little to no democratic consultation with teachers who will ultimately implement and bear the burden of these reforms.
DepEd continues to roll out policies as if teachers were mere passive recipients instead of primary actors in education. Genuine reforms cannot be achieved through one-way directives and forced orientations. Teachers deserve democratic participation, meaningful consultation, and respect for their time, welfare, and professional insight.
We urge DepEd to stop implementing burdensome and disconnected directives and instead pursue policies grounded on teachers’ and learners’ actual conditions and needs.
Reforms that ignore teachers’ voices are bound to fail. If DepEd truly wants systemic change, it must start by listening to teachers instead of silencing criticism.
