April 22, 2021 – With the go-signal for vaccination of basic education frontliners, the Department of Education (DepEd) has called on its eligible personnel who belong to higher priority groups to get vaccinated already in their respective local government units (LGU) of residence or LGU of place of work.

In the issuance released by the DepEd Task Force COVID-19 (DTFC), the Department reminded all of its personnel who are part of higher priority groups, such as school health staff, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities, that they can register already for vaccine shots ahead of the roll-out for the A4 priority category.

“We would like to encourage all of our personnel to coordinate with their local government units so they can be vaccinated against COVID-19. This will play a huge role in our bid for our learners’ return to school,” Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said.

The largest government agency hopes to start vaccinating the rest of its teaching and non-teaching personnel by June 2021 after the IATF approved the appeal of Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones to adjust the vaccine prioritization for teaching and non-teaching personnel from category B1 to A4.

A4 group is next in line in the government vaccination priority list, after A1 (medical frontliners), A2 (senior citizens), and A3 (with comorbidities).

“Napakalaking jump nito para sa mga teachers, magandang magandang balita para sa lahat. Matagal na namin itong kinakausap at kinakampanya para masama ang teachers sa mauna na mababakunahan sa A-list at galing sa B,” Secretary Briones said.

Meanwhile, Secretary Briones also strongly appealed to DepEd personnel to rely on credible and official sources such as the Department of Health’s (DOH) and LGUs’ websites and social media accounts for accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines, and vaccination program.

“I am encouraging everyone to be proactive in learning about the vaccine and the vaccination program, and to make an informed choice about the matter,” she said, highlighting the education sector’s important role to be advocates for the vaccination.

Vaccine recipients are also requested to note their vaccination details, including the registration and the vaccination card for documentation and monitoring purposes within DepEd, and to strictly follow required health standards before, during, and after the immunization.

In its policy, DepEd will also work closely with the LGUs and concerned agencies to establish its own vaccination database. More information can be found in the DTFC Memo No. 372.

In a previous statement, the Department said that vaccination is a key component of any roadmap to the resumption of face-to-face classes, as reiterated by the President.

END—

DepEd, DICT team up to roll out Public Education Network 

April 19, 2021 – Drastic improvement in the delivery of education can be expected in the years to come as the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) sealed a monumental partnership to realize the establishment of the Public Education Network (PEN).

Led by Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones and Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II, DICT and DepEd on Friday signed two important Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to strengthen the delivery of education through broadcast, connectivity, and digital security via the PEN program.

The two national agencies had been coordinating the development of the PEN as early as April 2020. The initiative aims to fast-track the digital connectivity of all public schools and DepEd offices nationwide and allow learners to have wider access to DepEd TV, DepEd Commons, and other learning platforms. Aside from this, the PEN will also connect DepEd Offices to governance platforms such as the DepEd Enterprise Resource Planning System (DERPS), the Learner Information System (LIS), the DepEd Mobile App, and other partner platforms.

“This partnership is designed not only to deal with COVID but really to deal, not only with the present, but also with the future. We feel braver. We feel more courageous since we are holding hands with the DICT and other institutions who could help us out. With this partnership, we offer more hope to education with the help of our partners,” Secretary Briones said.

The monumental collaboration is aligned with the directive of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during his 2020 State of the Nation Address (SONA). It is also a direct response of DepEd and DICT to address the adverse effects and complications brought by the pandemic in basic education and also for future possible incidences of calamities, disasters, and conflict.

“When the government decided to open classes amid the public health emergency, we recognized the need for education to continue, despite the limitations imposed by the ongoing health crisis. We believe it is imperative to look beyond these immediate concerns to what may be possible for education on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is in this spirit that your DICT has worked closely with the education sector to come up with solutions that enable education to continue while also keeping our students and teachers safe and healthy,” DICT Secretary Honasan II said.

“To do this, we are working with DepEd to adopt a framework that shall enable us to promote digital education by harnessing the benefits of various ICT services,” Secretary Honasan added.

The partnership will lay down the framework of cooperation and collaboration between DepEd and DICT, including advocacy for the presence of ICT service providers in public school premises, provision of online resources, materials, and systems for educational use, and coordination with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), among others.

As part of its medium to long-term commitment, DICT will also assist in augmenting the future satellite capacity of DepEd for Last Mile Schools and in providing data transport service using a fiber-optic network under the GovNet and Microwave towers.

Additionally, DepEd and DICT will also work together to determine suitable real estate properties owned or under the administration of DepEd for use as sites or locations for the Shared Passive Telecommunications Tower Infrastructure (SPTTI) that will let government agencies share resources and technologies for the benefit of Filipinos.

Guided by the leadership of Secretary Briones, the PEN program is part of the Digital Rise Program under the Public Schools of the Future (PSOF) Framework. It is spearheaded by the Information and Communications Technology Service-Education Technology Unit (ICTS-EdTech) headed by Director Abram Y.C. Abanil, under the Administration Strand led by Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua and Assistant Secretary Salvador Malana III.

“With the building of the DepEd PEN, the Digital Rise program is strengthened and propelled forward. And this begins today, as we officially join hands with the DICT in making access and connectivity realities for all schools, all teaching and non-teaching personnel, and all learners wherever they may be,” Usec. Pascua said.

END—

DepEd requests higher compensation, other benefits of poll workers for 2022 elections

April 15, 2021 – The Department of Education (DepEd) reached out to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to provide additional compensation and benefits to poll workers for the upcoming 2022 National and Local Elections.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, in her formal letter to Comelec Chairman Sheriff M. Abas dated February 15, noted that the situation under the pandemic prompted the Department to request increased honoraria for the teaching and non-teaching personnel who will serve during the election.

“We recognize that there is a need for a higher compensation for the teachers because the risk of the COVID-19 is still here. We also made sure that the requested amount or rates prescribed are just and reasonable,” Secretary Briones said.

COMELEC Commissioner Marlon Casquejo and DepEd Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua discussed the proposed increase in the honoraria of teachers during election time and other election-related matters as early as February 8 this year.

The discussions led to the formalization of DepEd’s position through Secretary Briones’ letter to COMELEC, after internal discussions spearheaded by the Office of Undersecretary for Administration, along with the Bureau of Human Resources and Organizational Development (BHROD) and the Information and Communications Technology Service (ICTS), among others.

Based on the proposal of the Department, the recommended compensation for the Chairperson of Electoral Boards is Php, 9.000.00 while the members of the board will have Php 8,000.00.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education Supervisor Official (DESO) and the Support Staff should be compensated with Php 7,000.00 and Php 5,000.00, respectively, considering the prevailing Consumer Price Index and Inflation Rate as of January 2021.

Aside from the benefits provided by the Election Service Reform Act (ESRA) and its IRR, the DepEd also requested Php 500 per day COVID-19 Hazard Pay for the authorized poll workers.

Provisions of onsite swab testing and other health services in case of the existence of COVID-19 during the election period, Php 1,000.00 allowance for food and water, and Php 2,000.00 for the transportation expenses should also be considered.

Moreover, the Department asked for the grant of honoraria for the selected members of the Comelec-DepEd Monitoring and Coordination teams from the Central and Field Offices under the 2022 DepEd Election Task Force. These teams will ensure that teachers will be provided with adequate information, technical and legal assistance in performing their respective roles in the election.

The Department also proposed that teachers should only work only for eight hours at maximum, including the preparation and the post-election activities while it also requested for provision of funds for the maintenance and repair of schools that will be used as voting centers.

Briones also urged the DepEd officials to actively participate in the upcoming elections with integrity and honesty as the country aims to have a peaceful and fair election.

“We call on all our officials and personnel to maintain neutrality, focus on non-partisan public service, and remain a beacon of integrity. We, at the Department of Education (DepEd), thank our teacher-volunteers for continuing to be on the frontline of the foremost exercise of democracy in the country,” Briones said.

END
On Thu, Apr 15, 2021 at 1:14 PM DepEd Communications Division <pas.cd@deped.gov.ph> wrote:

DepEd requests higher compensation, other benefits of poll workers for 2022 elections

April 15, 2021 – The Department of Education (DepEd) reached out to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to provide additional compensation and benefits to poll workers for the upcoming 2022 National and Local Elections.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, in her formal letter to Comelec Chairman Sheriff M. Abas dated February 15, noted that the situation under the pandemic prompted the Department to request increased honoraria for the teaching and non-teaching personnel who will serve during the election.

“We recognize that there is a need for a higher compensation for the teachers because the risk of the COVID-19 is still here. We also made sure that the requested amount or rates prescribed are just and reasonable,” Secretary Briones said.

Based on the proposal of the Department, the recommended compensation for the Chairperson of Electoral Boards is Php, 9.000.00 while the members of the board will have Php 8,000.00.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education Supervisor Official (DESO) and the Support Staff should be compensated with Php 7,000.00 and Php 5,000.00, respectively, considering the prevailing Consumer Price Index and Inflation Rate as of January 2021.

Aside from the benefits provided by the Election Service Reform Act (ESRA) and its IRR, the DepEd also requested Php 500 per day COVID-19 Hazard Pay for the authorized poll workers.

Provisions of onsite swab testing and other health services in case of the existence of COVID-19 during the election period, Php 1,000.00 allowance for food and water, and Php 2,000.00 for the transportation expenses should also be considered.

Moreover, the Department asked for the grant of honoraria for the selected members of the Comelec-DepEd Monitoring and Coordination teams from the Central and Field Offices under the 2022 DepEd Election Task Force. These teams will ensure that teachers will be provided with adequate information, technical and legal assistance in performing their respective roles in the election.

The Department also proposed that teachers should only work only for eight hours at maximum, including the preparation and the post-election activities while it also requested for provision of funds for the maintenance and repair of schools that will be used as voting centers.

Briones also urged the DepEd officials to actively participate in the upcoming elections with integrity and honesty as the country aims to have a peaceful and fair election.

“We call on all our officials and personnel to maintain neutrality, focus on non-partisan public service, and remain a beacon of integrity. We, at the Department of Education (DepEd), thank our teacher-volunteers for continuing to be on the frontline of the foremost exercise of democracy in the country,” Briones said.

END