The controversial Department of Education (DepED) Order No. 49 s. 2022 has two goals: To depoliticize the department and promote professionalism among its personnel.

After gaining complaints from educators and the public alike, DepED Spokesperson Michael Poa, in a televised interview, clarified the goal of the department’s issuance of DO No. 49.

According to Poa, DO 49 is just a mere “reminder” to observe the “existing rules” as civil servants. Under the issuance, DepED personnel were mandated to treat colleagues and learners with the “highest degree of professionalism.”

“There’s no specific trigger in the issuance of the order. In fact, the DO refers to the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards or what we call Republic Act 6713. We’re just issuing this order to remind DepED personnel in terms of professionalism and depoliticization ,” said Poa in an interview over CNN Philippines on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Requests in most Philippine government agencies, according to Poa, are now being politicized and this specific scenario is what DepED is “avoiding” to happen.

Apart from serving their duties in “prompt,” “courteous,” and “fair” manner, educators were likewise told to “avoid relationships, interaction, and communication including following social media with learners” outside school setting.

“As civil servants, we have to be responsible social media,” said Poa, adding that teachers may still communicate with learners through social media “as long as it is within the school setting,” or is limited within the “student-teacher” relationship.

“We are just reminding them of their duty to also be professional teachers,” Poa added.

Earlier, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines slammed this order, calling it “ironic” and “questionable,” since DepED greenlighted the use of social media platforms during the implementation of full distance learning amid the Covid-19 health crisis.

Poa, on the other hand, stressed that DepED is only “reminding” teachers not to “cross the line” or have “biases.”