Press Release
February 20, 2009

Probe teaching-post-for-sale racket, Loren asks DepEd

Senator Loren Legarda called today on Education Secretary Jesli Lapus and the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate complaints of irregularities and graft and corruption victimizing public school teachers.

Loren said that among the complaints that had reached her office included one from a teacher in Mati, Davao Oriental who asked that DepEd officials in her province be investigated for unexplained wealth.

The teacher averred that various money-making rackets had proliferated in their school so much so that ordinary clerks of DepEd are able to buy expensive cars.

Another teacher complained to Loren via her morning public service radio show that teaching positions in his/her province are up for sale at P40,000 per item, and that unauthorized deductions on their hazard pay are made if they are at all paid them.

"The scheme, according to the complaining teacher, is for two of three hazard pay checks of teachers to be given them, with the remaining one being set aside 'for the boys,'" said Loren.

Hazard pay is given to teachers serving in danger areas or to those who risk their lives going to school each day, like when they have to take boat rides to be able to teach.

The senator stressed that DepEd must stop any and all school-based irregularities since those involved in irregularities must not be allowed to have a hand in molding children, lest they impart on the latter their distorted values.

One Rogelio Cabaluna, a government employee from Zamboanga, Sibugay had also sought Loren's assistance in bringing to the proper authorities their plight, including the reduction of their P4,000 clothing allowance by half.

Meanwhile, a housewife from Agusan Del Sur also texted Loren to report that the school-feeding project in their area had been limited to grade one pupils since January.

A resident of Barbaza, Antique, on the other hand, complained against the computerized system used by the Department of Social Works and Developing in identifying the beneficiaries of food aid and other assistance to the poor.

"Logic dictates that the poor must get the assistance, with priority going to the poorest among them. One does not need a computer system to ascertain priority beneficiaries," Loren said.

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