Officials from the City Schools Division Office said on Thursday that they strictly prohibit any financial gestures or acts of appreciation toward their employees during or after the hiring process of applicants.
During the 3rd quarter of “Kumustahan sa DepEd Puerto Princesa City with Media Partners” held at the SDO conference room at DepEd PPC Building, Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Laida Lagar- Mascareñas stressed that no such “item for sale” practice is happening in the city DepEd, adding that even she does not solicit or receive any tokens of appreciation from any person.
“Pagdating po sa mga isyu na iyan, syempre, ang aking masasabe as the head of DepEd Puerto Princesa City, walang ganiyang pangyayare sa DepEd Puerto Princesa dahil unang-una ko pong sinasabe ‘yung ‘item for sale’ or whatever ‘for sale’ – magsasalita ako para sa akin, wala akong tinatanggap at wala akong hinihingi,” Mascareñas said during the press conference.
“Pagdating sa mga kasamahan ko, alam nila kung ano ‘yung patakaran namin pagdating sa fair na pagha-hire nang pagpili at pagha-hire ng mga aplikante namin,” she further said.
The superintendent also strictly reminded her staff not to receive any kind of appreciation from applicants.
“Kasi sinabe ko na rin sa kanila sa lahat ng nandito: Huwag tatanggap ng kahit anong paraan ng pasasalamat lalong lalo na ‘yung nagkakaroon pa lang ng applications, walang tatanggaping kahit ano mula sa applicants.”
Moreover, the Officer-in-Charge – Assistant SDS and the Chairperson of Human Resource Management-Personnel Selection Board (HRM – PSB), Dr. Renante Consolacion, assured the public that the “item for sale” issue has no place in the city DepEd.
“Makakaasa po kayo na walang puwang ang ‘item for sale’ sa DepEd Puerto Princesa City, sapagkat lahat ng dokumento, lahat ng mga papel na ipinapasa ng ating mga aplikante ay dumadaan sa tamang proseso, dumadaan sa tamang pag-appreciate,” Consolacion said.
“Ang batayan po natin sa pagpili ng mga kwalipikadong mga aplikante ay: merit, fitness, [at] integrity. Hindi po pera!,” he added.
Furthermore, Mascareñas discussed the department’s procedure during the hiring process of both teaching and non-teaching personnel to further uphold fairness and transparency in the selection process.
“Kapag ‘yan po ay nag-submit na dito [applicants], dahil syempre may deadline, may submission na dapat lahat ng applications, mga documents, ‘yan po ay isa-isang ini-evaluate ng ating Human Resource Management Officer (HRMO). So, doon po sa pagtingin pa lang na iyon, trabaho niya po ‘yon eh, kaya wala pong anumang pwedeng ibayad kung ano man ang serbisyo niya na yon.”
“Ngayon, ‘pag halimbawa po na nabuo na namin itong lahat ng mga aplikante, nagkakaroon kami ng orientation at sa orientation kasama ang HRM-PSB (Human Resource Management – Personnel Selection Board) ay ipinapaliwanag namin ano ‘yung lahat ng requirements, ano ‘yung mga dapat ninyong gawin, at ano ang dapat ninyong iprepara dahil kayo ay dadaan na sa selection process at malinaw po naming sinasabe sa kanila: kapag kayo ay nag-apply dito sa DepEd Puerto Princesa City, mag-aapply kayo dito alam niyong qualified kayo at patutunayan ng DepEd PPC na qualified kayo. So, humanda kayo sa anumang pagdadanan ninyong proseso at walang magbibigay ng kahit ano. ‘Yan po ang nililinaw namin during the orientation,” she added.
“Kapag lumabas na po yung lahat ng resulta na yan ng kanilang pag-evaluate ng HRM-PSB, ire-recommend nila sa akin as the appointing officer, the appointing authority. Pupunta na kami sa hiring pero ‘yon pong mga ni-recommend nila na ‘yon kapag naaprubahan na iyan ipo-post po nila ‘yan for ten days for public viewing kumbaga. Naka-post siya sa ating website, naka-post yan sa mga schools,” she further said.
“Doon sa panahon na ‘yon na naka-post yung lahat ng rank list, ang ating registry of qualified applicants o ‘yung resulta ng ating comparative assessment result natin at wala naman nag reklamo. So, magsisimula na po tayo na mag-appoint.”
The superintendent again assured the public that the integrity of DepEd Puerto Princesa is being upheld.
“Huwag kayo mag-alala dito sa atin ang integridad ng DepEd PPC ay inaalagaan namin.”
Recently, DepEd Palawan, under Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Dr. Elsie Barrios, who is now suspended, faced a major controversy after the alleged “item for sale” issue was raised by some applicants and insiders, prompting an investigation. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan called for several hearings, inviting officials from DepEd Palawan and the SDS to explain. A resolution was also passed to suspend Dr. Barrios, who never attended the SP’s invitations and consistently denied the allegations.
The “Kumustahan sa DepEd Puerto Princesa City with Media Partners” was attended by several officials, including Dr. Cyril Serador, Chief Education Supervisor, Curriculum Implementation Division Dr. Eleazer Arellano, Chief Education Supervisor, School Governance and Operation Division Dr. Ambrocio Escorpiso, Education Program Supervisor, SGOD Engr. Cassandra Dawn G. Cayetano, DepEd Engineer III, and Gina S. Francisco, Senior Education Program Specialist.
