ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Muntinlupa public high school teacher dies following classroom observation

Muntinlupa public high school teacher dies following classroom observation

Published Jan 8, 2026 11:50 am
Agnes Buenaflor, teacher at Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, Muntinlupa (Contributed photo)
Agnes Buenaflor, teacher at Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, Muntinlupa (Contributed photo)

A public high school teacher in Muntinlupa City died following a classroom observation on Jan. 7, prompting a coalition to call for a review of the policy. 

Agnes Buenaflor, a teacher at Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, Muntinlupa, reportedly collapsed during a classroom observation. 

She was rushed to a hospital but later died. She was 58.  

Agnes Buenaflor, teacher at Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, Muntinlupa (Contributed photo)
Agnes Buenaflor, teacher at Pedro E. Diaz High School in Alabang, Muntinlupa (Contributed photo)
Pedro E. Diaz High School (Photo from PEDHS' Facebook account)
Pedro E. Diaz High School (Photo from PEDHS' Facebook account)

Classroom observation is a Department of Education policy used to assess a teacher’s classroom performance. 

In a statement, Violeta M. Gonzales, schools division superintendent of the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Muntinlupa said, “It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of our esteemed teacher, Ms. Agnes Buenaflor who lost her life while fulfilling her dedication to education within our school community on January 7, 2026. Ms. Buenaflor was not only a remarkable educator but also a cherished mentor who profoundly impacted the lives of countless students and colleagues alike.”

The statement added:

“In response to this unforeseen event, staff from Pedro E. Diaz High School acted swiftly, administering first aid and ensuring that Ms. Buenaflor was transported to the hospital for urgent medical attention. Despite our collective efforts and hope, we are heartbroken to report that she did not survive.

As we mourn the loss of a beloved member of our educational family, we wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to her family. The entire school community is united in our commitment to offer unwavering support to them during this incredibly challenging time. We recognize the profound grief experienced by all who knew Ms. Buenaflor and we encourage our community to come together in solidarity as we honor her legacy. We ask for your understanding and respect for the family's privacy as they navigate through this heartbreaking loss.” 

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said the incident underscores the need for DepEd to review its classroom observation policy. 

“In light of the circumstances surrounding the incident—reported to have occurred during a scheduled classroom observation—the TDC reiterates its call on the Department of Education (DepEd) to urgently review its policies on classroom observations as an integral part of the teachers’ performance rating system,” the group said. 

The coalition stressed that classroom observation should be used to improve teaching, not as a punitive measure. 

It said, “Classroom observations, while they may be conducted periodically, must be implemented primarily as a supportive and developmental process aimed at improving pedagogy—not as a punitive or judgmental mechanism to determine a teacher’s worth or capability.” 

“Teachers, especially seasoned ones, are trained professionals who should not be made to repeatedly prove their competence under conditions that may unduly add to their stress and workload,” it added. 

The TDC urged the government to ensure teachers' health and wellness by providing free, accessible, and quality medical services, emphasizing that their well-being is essential to the effective delivery of public education.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) NCR Union said it is coordinating with the school head and teachers of Pedro E. Diaz High School and is ready to extend assistance during this difficult time.

The group appealed to the SDO Muntinlupa to temporarily suspend classroom observations following Buenaflor's death. 

“We respectfully appeal to the Schools Division Office to temporarily suspend all classroom observations in light of this painful day, as teachers are in mourning. We likewise call on school heads and higher officials of the Department of Education to exercise compassion and consideration in the working conditions of teachers and personnel. The life, health, and safety of all must always come first. We stand in solidarity with our fellow educators in Muntinlupa and ask for respect for the family's privacy as we honor Ms. Buenaflor's life and service,” it said. 

Statement of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition about the death of Muntinlupa teacher Agnes Buenaflor (Photo from TDC)
Statement of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition about the death of Muntinlupa teacher Agnes Buenaflor (Photo from TDC)
Statement of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) NCR Union about the death of Muntinlupa teacher Agnes Buenaflor (Photo from ACT NCR Union)
Statement of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) NCR Union about the death of Muntinlupa teacher Agnes Buenaflor (Photo from ACT NCR Union)
Statement of the Schools Division Office of Muntinlupa about the death of teacher Agnes Buenaflor (Photo from SDO Muntinlupa)
Statement of the Schools Division Office of Muntinlupa about the death of teacher Agnes Buenaflor (Photo from SDO Muntinlupa)
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.