The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines and the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) strongly denounced the memorandum issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) which arbitrarily “red-tagged” both organizations.

In a virtual press conference Tuesday, March 16, members of ACT and COURAGE joined forces to fight off the “witch-hunt” being allegedly carried out by DILG.

The groups also challenged the said memorandum which “flagrantly tramples on teachers and education workers' constitutionally protected freedom to associate."

For ACT, the said memorandum issued by DILG dated March 10, 2021, is a “wanton tagging” of the 180,000-strong teachers' organization as a “known Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) front organization.”

The DILG memo signed by Assistant Secretary for Public and Security Alexander L. Macario, regional officials of DILG were advised to “initiate an investigation” on the supposed infiltration of CTGs - particularly ACT and COURAGE - in private and public schools and the Department of Education (DepEd) and in other government offices.

DILG also “advised” the regional directors to “validate employees who are definite members” and submit the authenticated names for Macario’s “perusal.”

“It is advised further, to fend off and discourage existing employees association and organization in your office to affiliate with the known CTG organization,” Macario added in his memo.

Contrary to the allegations of DILG, ACT noted that it remains the “sole and exclusive” negotiating agent of public school teachers in five regions and having duly-registered unions in 12 more.

“ACT has not only been in continuous working relations with DepEd but with numerous local government units in addressing teachers' and education's issues and concerns,” ACT Secretary Raymond Basilio said.