The contentious Department of Education (DepEd) Order No.

49, Series of
2022 is an amendment of DepEd Order No. 47 which was issued by Sara Duterte,
the current vice president and education secretary of the Philippines (Contreras,
2022). Abarca (2022) claims that the order's two primary objectives are to
depoliticize the department and strengthen professionalism. The DepEd Order
No. 49 reiterates that those employed by the department must refrain from
partisan activity, maintain professional relationships with teachers, students, and
other DepEd employees, and be responsible users of the internet. There are
provisions in the order that is significant, such as those that ensure non-
partisanship and forbid employees from soliciting any form of favorable actions
or involvement from other members of the government outside the Department of
Education to avoid its employees from being swayed by politics. According to
the DepEd spokesperson, Atty. Michael Poa, the order is a reminder of an
existing regulation as the department also seeks to abolish the "padrino" system
(Perez, 2022). In an effort to advance professionalism within the department, the
order encourages all of the staff members to set boundaries, limit their online
and in-person interactions to those that take place within the school setting,
avoid from adding their students on social media, and refrain from any conduct
that contradicts the law. Additionally, it restricts its employees from attacking
the department and other department personnel online. The Department of
Education actively advises its employees to be media literate, use social media
responsibly, and assess the credibility of the content they publish online in order
to prevent the spread of false information. The Department of Education Order
No. 49 is intended to remind DepEd officials and employees of the guidelines for
professionalism and depoliticization in the department.

DepEd employees and officials are mandated to be responsible users of the internet. This
is a notable provision as it serves as a reminder for them to be mindful of the legal
consequences of their behavior online and be cautious when using social media to share
information publicly (Contreras, 2022). According to Ohio University (2022), it is the ethical
obligation of all government officials, regardless of their position, to make every effort to
combat disinformation and advance media literacy. Before publishing anything online, it is
imperative that they verify the validity of information to avoid contributing to the
proliferation of misleading information. All DepEd officials, particularly educators, are
expected to use the internet responsibly. Children will take the initiative to grasp and adhere
to the principles they observe from their teachers (Global Indian International School, n.d.).
With that said, teachers become role models to their students and it is their duty to lead by
example. As an individual who embodies the department, it is necessary that they uphold
honesty and integrity. This provision is advantageous since it encourages staff members to be
media literate and fact-check information disseminated online. This is important since one’s
actions, particularly the content one posts online, may influence how others perceive DepEd
employees in general.

Due to its ambiguity and vagueness, certain aspects of the order may result in major
issues. The Department of Education must expound on its definition. Choi (2022) states that
legislation should be transparent and unambiguous. It must be clear to be properly enforced
and to let individuals know whether their actions may have legal consequences. The DepEd’s
spokesperson assured that the order does not violate the people's right to free speech contrary
to the claim of some teachers' groups (Perez, 2022). However, the new provision in the
DepEd order may have an impact on teachers who are actively raising valid complaints
(Contreras, 2022). Teachers insisted that the Department of Education clarify how it plans to
carry out its new order because they believe that prohibiting them from voicing their
complaints about the organization in public may violate their freedom of speech (Aurelio &
Ramos, 2022). The order stresses that employees must uphold the DepEd's reputation and
honor in the highest regard and must never degrade the department. This could be risky since
DepEd officials, especially those in positions of authority, may abuse their power if
someone's views reflect DepEd poorly. Anyone who works for the department must be extra
cautious with the content they post online and make sure it does not in any way disparage
DepEd. There is a need for them to specify what they meant as they used the term and when
a certain action qualifies as one.

The Department of Education Order No. 49 aims to strengthen professionalism and

depoliticization in the department. Although the order is filled with controversies, it
promotes integrity, respectability, and civility as it urges all DepEd employees to refrain
from accepting any form of assistance from political actors and remove the department from
political influence, treat every individual with the utmost respect, and exercise caution by
evaluating the credibility of the information that they share, especially if it puts the
department in a bad light. Despite the fact that the order is intended to reiterate current
policies for all DepEd personnel, modifications are still necessary because several provisions
are questionable and vague, which may infringe on people's fundamental rights, particularly
their right to free speech. Overall, the order's provisions that restrict people from voicing
their views about the department should be amended since they impede on their rights while
others are beneficial in improving professionalism among teachers, students, and other
department employees.
 References

Abarca, C. M. (2022, November 15). DepED Order No. 49 a mere ‘reminder’ to properly observe civil
service rules, says Poa. Retrieved from Manila Bulletin: https://mb.com.ph/2022/11/15/deped-
order-no-49-a-mere-reminder-to-properly-observe-civil-service-rules-says-poa/
#:~:text=National%2C%20News-,DepED%20Order%20No.%2049%20a%20mere
%20'reminder'%20to%20properly,civil%20service%20rules%2C%20says%20Poa&text=The%

Aurelio, J. M. & Ramos, M.S. (2022, November 5). Teachers seek clarity about DepEd memo on
grievances. Retrieved from Inquirer.net: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1689556/teachers-seek-
clarity-about-deped-memo-on-grievances

Choi, N. (2022, November 2). rule of law. Retrieved from britannica:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/rule-of-law

Contreras, A. (2022, November 11 ). Onerous educational directives . Retrieved from The Manila Times :
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/11/10/opinion/columns/onerous-educational-directives/
1865740

Global Indian International School. (n.d.). Importance of teaching values and ethics to primary students.
Retrieved from https://tokyo.globalindianschool.org/blog-details/teaching-values-to-primary-
students#:~:text=Be%20Their%20Role%20Model&text=Teaching%20morals%20and%20values
%20in,sharing%20experiences%20with%20them%20etc.

Ohio University. (2022). Fake news, misinformation, & fact-checking. Retrieved from
https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/masters-public-administration/guide-to-misinformation-and-
fact-checking/

Perez, A. (2022, November 7). Not against free speech: DepEd says DO 49 just a reminder of rules on
professionalism. Retrieved from ABS-CBN News:
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/07/22/deped-says-do-49-just-a-reminder-of-rules-on-
professionalism