ARMM education exec denies freezing teachers’salaries

MARAWI CITY, Philippines – An official of the Department of Education (DepEd) office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) yesterday denied reports that the salaries of several teachers here have been frozen due to leadership problems within the city’s public school division.

Public school teachers here called on their supposedly now retired superintendent, Mona Macatanong, to vacate her post and allow someone to take over.

Macatanong had reportedly reached the mandatory retirement age, but managed to secure a court order allowing her to stay in her post.

John Magno, assistant secretary for operation of the ARMM-DepEd, said the checks for the teachers’ salaries have been sent to their field offices and ready for release upon compliance with requirements.

Magno said the regional government has been prompt in releasing the salaries of teachers in the ARMM’s provinces of  Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Magno said the teachers who have not yet received their salaries have been ordered to submit their daily time records.

Magno said only 19 Marawi-based teachers, not hundreds as earlier reported, have yet to submit their daily time records to the DepEd-ARMM.

“They will receive their salaries once they comply with that regulation,” he said.

Magno said the issue involving 19 teachers in Marawi City has nothing to do with the dispute between Macatanong and her supposed successor, Pharida Sansarona.

Sansarona, officer-in-charge of the school division office, was installed after Macatanong reached her mandatory retirement age.