Regional gov’t agencies hold face-to-face seminar
Group grills DepEd for risking virus outbreak anew
With various regional government agencies holding two-session seminars for teachers in pursuance to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) red-tagging campaign, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has questioned the Department of Education (DepEd) for risking the welfare of its educators following the Zambales incident last March.
DepEd Region III was recently on a hot seat after its conduct of face-to-face In-Service Training (INSET) in Zambales, which led to the infection of 49 DepEd personnel with COVID-19.
This, however, did not stop DepEd-Caraga from co-organizing the sessions titled, “National Security Concern and Disaffiliation from ACT,” each attended by 254 and 350 Butuan city public teachers, along with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA-10), Police Regional Office (PRO)-13, and the 402nd Infantry Brigade, held last May 6 in Butuan, the city with the most number of COVID-19 cases in Caraga.
“Why did DepEd allow a mass gathering of teachers for an undeniably vile and illegal activity? We thought that after the Zambales outbreak among teachers, DepEd will be more circumspect and responsible in considering the conduct of face-to-face activities,” lambasted ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio.
Aside from exposing the teachers to an event where the risk of infection is high, Basilio accused DepEd-Caraga of violating the teachers’ freedom of association for participating in the organizers’ “Pledge and Signing Commitment [to NTF-ELCAC] Ceremony” and withdrawing their connections from ACT.
“…in the outright violation of teachers’ freedom of association, DepEd-Caraga did so while also subjecting teachers to a physical activity where infection risk is high. Add that to how DepEd violated its own order on the prohibition of military operations and interference within the agency. The regional office has much to answer here, but so does the Central Office,” added Basilio.
The group immediately acted on the matter and bared the charges filed against DepEd-Caraga, during which they called for an investigation on the matter and hoping that state agencies, including DepEd, are held accountable.
Red-tagging Campaigns vs ACT
Meanwhile, ACT also dissed the seminar as it is said to be part of the government’s, especially NTF-ELCAC, red-tagging campaign against them. Due to this, the teacher-attendees were reportedly forced to condemn and cut their relations with the group, or else different rumors and cases were spread critical of them.
“Nakakagalit na sa kabila ng napakaraming isyung pang-kaguruan na kinakailangan solusyonan, itong pang-re-redtag pa talaga ang inuna ng ating gobyerno. Habang busy ang ating mga teachers na magbigay ng serbisyo… ang gobyerno naman ay busy sa walang habas na pang-re-redtag at pagtapak sa karapatan at kapakanan ng ating mga guro,” expressed Basilio.
The secretary general also conveyed his discontent with the state’s untimely response to their woes as educators.
“Pinangungunahan ng mga lider ng ACT ang laban para sa dagdag sweldo, benepisyo, at karapatan ng mga guro sa rehiyon, bakit panunupil ang tugon ng estado?” asked Basilio.
ACT mentioned how the teachers were grappling with the online classes, and had been rallying for better health and safety conditions. The overdue 2019 Perfomance-Based Bonus (PBB), P1, 500 monthly internet allowance, overtime pay benefits, justified salaries’ upgrade, and how the recently-passed Bayanihan 3 only allotted P5.6-B to them while the military pension received P54.6-B also came to light.
“Nasaan na ang mga benepisyo at ang pinangakong dagdag sahod? Naghihingalo na ang ating mga guro sa patung-patong na problemang hatid ng distance learning pero puro pang-re-redtag pa rin ang inaatupag ng gobyerno,” claimed Basilio.
Last month, it was alleged that DepEd officials were profiling ACT members through google forms. Akin to an assailed Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) memorandum announced early March where ACT, along with another group, was tagged as a communist infiltrator, reports of teachers being pressed to declare and denounce their membership to the organization reached ACT.
This led Basilio to demand for protection from DepEd against such attacks and stop its participation to NTF-ELCAC’s red-tagging campaign.
“…We will not back down from these attacks, and we demand accountability from DepEd, the NTF-ELCAC, and the entire Duterte administration,” Basilio ended.
