Talisay ends services of teaching volunteers

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes has terminated the services of at least 60 teacher aid volunteers who are aiming for a national item from the Department of Education.

The mayor said the 60 volunteers are “midnight appointees” of the previous administration.

The volunteers assist regular teachers and take over the teaching load when the regular teachers go on leave. The city has paid each volunteer about P8,000 per month.

It was city legal officer Alfredo Sipalay who informed Talisay City Division Supt. Woodrow Denuyo that the teacher aid volunteers who were hired last May and June could no longer continue serving the city because they are “midnight appointees,” a status that is reportedly not acceptable to the new administration.

“As we agreed upon, all the TAV hired in May and June 2013 will be terminated from their jobs effective today, September 27, 2013,” Sipalay said in his letter address to Denuyo.

Sipalay said that they will implement the agreement.

In a separate interview, opposition councilor Dennis Basillote, chairman of the City Council’s committee on education, said the move is politically motivated and that the volunteers are just victims of a political reprisal. 

“Ambot lang ug unsay huna-huna sa bag-ong administrasyon. Kung ako ang pangutan-on, ang pag-terminate nila kay aduna’y color sa politika,” Basillote said.

Basillote said some schools depend a lot on the volunteers. Basillote said he plans to invite Denuyo and the affected volunteers to the Council’s session next week to resolve the issue. – (FREEMAN)