In previous administrations, for decades the problems faced by the Department of Education (DepEd) had come like clockwork. The public could almost set their calendar based on its regularity. There were very little variations save for the calendar year.
Perpetually short of funds despite constitutional priorities, classroom shortage was a constant curse. Moreover, public school officials snuck-in and charged incremental fees effectively bloating the cost of education despite statutory limits.
Perhaps its most institutionally heartrending involves the perennially unsung. Simply look at the government pension fund’s largest constituency. Public school teachers are perpetually victimized – hailed as heroes but treated like shit.
When Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus took the problematic portfolio there were below-the-line initiatives he prioritized. These profoundly altered the polemic paradigm. He tapped non-traditional sources of capital, infusing strategic partnerships with the private sector where surpluses were re-channeled to a sector long anemic from neglect.
Adopt-a-School programs and corporate involvement effectively increased capital bases especially helpful where the economy was running historic deficits.
From reducing teaching hours to effective levels, to creating a mechanism to address teachers’ benefits and loans, to securing substantial increases in budget allocations, Lapus’s unique programs for administrator training likewise reduced the need to augment operational revenues, instilling both efficiencies and skills for viable school management. More importantly, teacher training increased economic resiliencies, restoring a good deal of lost dignities. The result was a department that registered huge advances in student achievement tests where long-festering resource gaps in classrooms, teacher and principal items, textbooks and teacher training narrowed considerably
The unintended result was a department with the highest approval rating and ranking the least corrupt, its leadership, most valued, the highest performer, several times recognized as outstanding and popularly loved.
Unfortunately, pungent lies and brick-brats now come in a variety of sinister shapes and political permutations, un-discerning, targeting anyone for as long as they serve during Arroyo’s watch. Like clockwork at budget deliberations-time the creepy crawl from the woodwork, stirring from underneath rotted compost. The previous accusations on textbook content were timed to coincide with new textbook purchases. The so-called noodle controversy compared specially formulated and packaged food with incomparable off-the-shelf products.
Now, DepEd’s health initiatives are being targeted. Lice and heady lies share more than acoustic echoes. The onomatopoeia is more than auditory apropos. In the current citronella shampoo issue slandered against the DepEd, arraying lies against facts, we see that what non-discerning puffed-up polemic pervades promptly goes phffft.
To respond to the issues is a matter of lining up ducks. One congressman said the issue is one of process. Clawing up from beneath the briny bucket, the solon, citing “transparency and irregularity in the agency’s bidding process” declared “the price may be right but the process isn’t.”
This is especially paradoxical against a rare, significant and noteworthy World Bank commendation that DepEd’s procurement programs are recognized as “Best Practices” and are currently replicated in the region and in Europe.
He claimed in 2007, DepEd sought bidders for 150,000 sachets of shampoo for Php 900,000. In a 2008 rebid, ceteris paribus, he noted the number was reduced but peso amounts were not. Failing to analyze requisite differentials leading to the 2008 rebid, he screamed bloody murder. Never mind that the first failed when no one submitted bid proposals. And never mind that the DepEd needed to respond to cost realities and had to revise to draw in bidders.
So now it’s the process? The verifiable and COA-audited record shows that the DepEd adhered to the statutory process of R.A. 9184 and its implementing rules and regulations to the letter up to the point of complying with Bureau of Food and Drug standards.
The same critic claimed that in the rebid on August 22, 2008 “the number of citronella shampoo to be procured was changed from 500 to 75 sets still with the same allocation of 1 million pesos”.
When foraying into educational issues, is it too much to ask critics to first educate themselves? These figures are incorrect and refer to oto-opthalmoscopes for auditory and visual disability examinations and not to pediculosis-effective shampoo. There is a difference. Just as there are differences between commercially available shampoos and those specified by the DepEd.
Where’s the irregularity? Where’s the non-transparency? If there’s any, to mindlessly attack government agencies, it is an infestation of lies and not lice. Intellectual integrity is integral to righteous criticism. Some people need to wash not just their hair but the dirt inside their heads.
Popularity: 3% [?]
The Teachers are the molders of people. We are educated by them.
I would not be where I am without them. I came also from families
of teachers. They are overworked, and the least compensated.
Politicians should be the least compensated. Since most of them are
useless and do nothing. They are only good in going to Las Vegas
to view the boxing bouts of Manny Pacquiao.
Filipinos are confused with their priorities.
Politicians have the easiest jobs, excellent pay,
the best benefits and the respect of the masa.
Teachers get low pay, lousy facilities, lousy
hungry and under-educated students, get assigned
extra work like manning the polling stations
without getting extra pay.
Guess which job the Pinoy youth would rather have???
Oh, yeah…. OFW.
Who made these useless politicians the highest paid
people in our country? Themselves! They voted themselves
high pays and allowances. Even most of them are useless.
when you go to a top school, you invest a whole lotta money. Why in the world will you settle for a lousy job with lousy pay, and staffed with people with lousy attitude.
Go out there, be the best you can be and compete in the global market – why be parochial when you can be world class.
Dean,
“Intellectual integrity is integral to righteous criticism.”
As a former student of mass media arts and sciences, I observe how two forces today shape, in a bad way usually, real practices. The media define the reality. One is the “sound bite”, where skilled practitioners strive for eye-popping attention and impact, not necessarily truth; politicians call it spin, but it is sophisticated lying, and it is not benign. The second is reality-show sensationalism, whereby we think it is natural to be carping and whining and competing and crying, rather than working hard and earnestly.
It is the same in the US, but in the US, there are usually countervailing groups or interests than can right the more severe wrongs, and the media thrive by articulating both sides of a controversy. Here, there are few such checks and balances and people are pretty much stuck with the popular version, not the analytical. It is rather the star-struck wowowee version that lingers.
Distortion is the environment; it is the media and the message.
Joe
Hyden and Joe,
Those are gems that you both wrote. Am cutting them out and pasting them in an archive of some of the best thoughts I’ve ever read. Both show that there is hope for all of us.
I am a product of teachers (literature, chemistry and mathematics), grandparents and even in-laws. You should both teach of you aren’t already.
Regards,
Dean
Dean,
I am a product of a mailman and elevator operator who knew that their kids would succeed if they had good principles, worked hard, and had a book in their hands at a young age.
Teaching is so crucially important, eh? It shows us the world, opens us to riches beyond gold and silver . . . You are a good product yourself . . .
Joe
i found this link on the internet: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=129748623412
i guess this is what you mean?
you say: “the number of citronella shampoo to be procured was changed from 500 to 75 sets still with the same allocation of 1 million pesos”.”
and you defend it thus: “These figures are incorrect and refer to oto-opthalmoscopes for auditory and visual disability examinations and not to pediculosis-effective shampoo. There is a difference. Just as there are differences between commercially available shampoos and those specified by the DepEd.”
i dont get the first sentence. are you saying the congressman’s figures are wrong? the quantity for the citronella shampoo DID NOT change?
OR
are you saying that they DID CHANGE, but they are different from store bought shampoos, presumably better?
in what sense are they better? would it have been better to buy the cheaper shampoo? from the link above:
”
WHEREAS, according to our computations, a sachet of the DepED citronella shampoo costs P6.00 in the first bid and P12 for 10mL in the rebid;
WHEREAS, this computed unit price of the DepED citronella shampoo appears far more expensive than lice-removing shampoos sold in the market, e.g. Licealize (P9.92 for 10 mL);”
is the shampoo in the market appreciably WORSE that the ones in the contract?
Licealize is pyrethin-based, the same ingredient used by Hartz anti-flea (for dogs). The requirement was for citronella (4% to 6% content).
NOTE: okay for dogs, not for people. Do not let the hartz anti-flea drops touch your skin.
not according to online MIMS:
http://www.mims.com/Page.aspx?menuid=mng&name=Licealiz+Regular+shampoo&CTRY=PH
it doesnt say its exclusively for dogs.
Dean defends DepEd or Jesli Lapuz, for that matter against the liars (for their lies), critics (for their criticisms, accusers (for their previous but timed accusations), polemicians (for their puffed-up polemics).
And for what does he have to go out of his way to defend what he considered a supposed-to-be well-rating department of government (from that point of view that it is the least corrupt – by his own patronizing assessment)?
To my mind, the following are not exactly lies, namely:
1. errors in textbooks
2. overpriced noodles
Since a House Resolution has been filed, it is best to await the results of the congressional inquiry that would address the concerns raised by Congressman Palatino. Until then, it will be premature to sort of “sweep all the LIES into the dustbin”. Some of these, are simply factual.
Hi Primer,
The stats on ratings are from the SWS from early in the year to sometime June.
Ok. Will await the congressional inquiry.
BTW, I headed the task force from the DepEd to negotiate with the GSIS to give the teachers a better deal. So far, wala pa akong na-accomplish. Haven’t accomplished anything because its very difficult to meet with these people, much less communicate decently.
Regards,
dean
Finally,Culiat HS principal dismissed d complaint i lodged against school gangboss for mauling my 15y.o. son. Likewise,the q.c. Division Office Legal Officer Latawan and DepEd NCR Chief,Legal Investigation Unit, Atty.Dunluan said the case is now over. But where is the resolution? i said. none. they told me.