Officials want written complaint: "Promotion for sale" at DepEd?

CEBU, Philippines – Allegations that promotions of teachers has been used as a milking cow by corrupt officials have come to light, but then nothing can be done unless somebody comes out into the open and file a formal complaint.

This issue came out shortly after the alleged irregularity in the purchase of P:17 million worth of chairs, desks and teacher’s tables surfaced recently.

The allegations on promotions for sale are reportedly not new according to sources inside the department.

DepEd-7 Regional Director Recaredo Borgonia in a talk with The Freeman said that he wants formal complaints so he can look into these allegations.

Borgonia said he will conduct an investigation once he receives a formal complaints and affidavits from aggrieved teachers.

“Dili ta motolerate niining mga binuang nga ingon niini,” Borgonia said.

Cebu Province 6th District Board Member Victor Maambong brought the issue up in the regular session of the Provincial Board last Monday.

The PB was looking into the alleged P17 million purchase scam when the issue of promotions for sale was also brought up.

Maambong claimed that he has personal knowledge of at least one incident where officials of the DepEd favored one teacher applicant over another.

Provincial Board Member Agnes Magpale said that her attention was also called about such issue but hasn’t received any formal complaint from teachers of her district.

Sources told The Freeman that between P20 thousand to P30 thousand is paid by teachers to get promoted.

There also reports that some officials accept items in kind from those who want to be promoted.

Maambong claimed that in one instance in his town of Consolacion, a teacher applicant failed to land the job, which was instead given to somebody from another town because that applicant was allegedly close to a top official of the department.

Maambong said that the DepEd implemented a program on the localization of teachers, which simply is the hiring of qualified teachers from the place where a school is located and giving them preference over those from other areas as long as they meet the minimum requirements.

Maambong said a resident from barangay Nangka in Consolacion town applied for teacher in Nangka Elementary School. He said that he personally knows the applicant.

The board member said that instead of this applicant, another who claimed to be from barangay Pitogo of the town was hired. Maambong said that when he investigated, he found out that the one who was hired was actually from the town of San Fernando in southern Cebu.

The localization of hiring is covered by Republic Act 8190 or An Act granting priority to residents of the barangay, municipality or city where the school is located, in the appointment or assignment of public school teachers.

Ombudsman probe

Officials of the DepEd have welcomed the endorsement of the Provincial Board for the investigation of the alleged anomaly in the purchase of chairs, desks and teacher’s tables.

Borgonio said that they will wait for the Ombudsman to finish its investigation since the matter has already been forwarded to the anti-graft office.

He said that it is good that the probe has been initiated so that the integrity of the DepEd will be protected.

Borgonio was then provincial schools superintendent when the bidding of the P17-million project took place.

This came about after several parents and teachers complained that the items delivered to their schools were sub-standard.

The members of the Provincial Board have also agreed to conduct an ocular inspection to verify the complaints.

“Bisan dili kini kwarta sa probinsya, apan angayan nga muhimo kita ug pakisusi kabahin niini,” Magpale said.

Two disqualified bidders have also complained that they were not given the project even if they gave lower bids.

The Bids and Awards Committee disqualified the two companies due to alleged lacking documents and false information. –/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)