Amid reported challenges under distance learning and the education sector - as a whole - during the pandemic, teachers’ groups asked the Department of Education (DepEd) to set its priorities straight.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), in separate statements issued April 18, alleged that DepEd has been prioritizing other things instead of addressing pressing concerns of learners and parents under the distance learning set-up this school year. 

These groups are referring to the directive issued by DepEd Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo to local field officials to make an inventory of the list of personnel who are members of ACT and TDC.

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“Hindi namin maintindihan ang DepEd, sa dami ng problemang kinakaharap ng mga guro at sektor ng edukasyon ay mas inaatupag pa nila itong survey para sa profiling sa mga kasapi ng ilang organisasyon (We don't understand DepEd, with the amount of problems faced by teachers and the education sector, they are even focusing more on this survey for profiling the members of some organizations),” said TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas.

“Sa halip na pakinggan ang hinaing ng mga guro, magulang at mag-aaral ay ito pa ang binigyan nila ng prayoridad (Instead of listening to the grievances of teachers, parents and learners, this is where their priority lies),” Basas added.

ACT also noted that DepEd’s move also “makes no sense.”

The group is also questioning Escobedo for the directive which aims to “identify which organizations to initiate dialogues with on various issues such as salary increases.”

ACT maintained that its already the “sole and exclusive” negotiating agent in five regions and duly registered in the other 11.

“We are a legally recognized union of public school teachers, which means we have the right to represent teachers in activities that aim to further their interests, as stated in EO 180, s.1987,” ACT said. “Perhaps he and other DepEd execs should review labor laws and policies before spewing nonsense like this,” it added.

For ACT, it remains “questionable” why DepEd is gathering the number of its members. “Further, the possibility of it being related to previous police profiling and the ongoing systematic attack on individuals and organizations openly critical of DepEd and the entire Duterte administration remains high,” the group said.

Instead of causing anxiety to its members by conducting a “dubious and unexplained inventory” among local leaders, ACT also called to Escobedo to “respond to our multiple requests for a dialogue on the overwhelming labor issues faced by our constituents, where he may personally request our national leaders to provide our numbers and give a strong justification why such is necessary.”