N E W S SHARING

DUTERTE TELLS
TEACHERS: AVOID
INTERACTING WITH
STUDENTS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA
The Department of Education (DepEd) has directed its employees to avoid making contact with students outside of the school setti ng, including on social media.

“Avoid relationships, interaction, and communication, including following social media with learners outside of the school setti ng, except if they are relatives,”
the order signed by Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte stated.

The directive is among the provisions of DepEd Order 49 dated Nov. 2, amending a previous order on the promotion of professionalism in the delivery of basic
education programs and services.

DepEd recently launched a hotline where students can directly report incidents of abuse, amid allegations of sexual harassment against teachers in several
schools.

Duterte said there should be a clear separation between teachers and students to avoid controversies. She added a personal relationship between a teacher and a
student could lead to bias towards the learner.

“Of course, relationships, may problema 'yan. Isa rin ito sa nakita naming recent incidents ng teachers na lumalabas with their students and they’re involved in
should we say not really criminal activities but they’re involved in crime," she said, citing an instance where a teacher was stabbed by his student during a drinking
session.

[Translation: Of course we have a problem with relationships. There were also incidents where students hang out with their students and they end up getti ng
involved in crimes.]
DEPED TELLS PERSONNEL: DON’ T " DISPARAGE" THE AGENCY, COWORKERS

TH E SAM E DE PA RTME N T ORDE R ALS O REMI ND E D E MPLOY EE S TO AVO I D SLA ND E RIN G TH E AGE N C Y
O R COLLEAGUES ONLINE. IT SAID THEY SHOULD REMAIN MINDFUL OF THE AGENCY’ S
REPUTATION.
DUTERTE SAID ISSUES AND CONCERNS SHOULD BE RAISED THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS.

“ FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE ABOVEMENTIONED ACTS SHALL MEAN OUTRIGHT DENIAL OF ANY
REQUES T O R A PPEA L FO R CON SI DERATIO N I N TH E O FFIC E O F TH E SECRE TARY, ” TH E SECRE TAR Y SA ID .
THIS PORTION OF DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 49 WAS QUESTIONED BY HOUSE DEPUTY MINORITY
L EAD E R A N D ACT TEACH E R S RE PRES EN TATIV E F RA NC E CAST RO , WH IC H SH E SAI D E SSE N TIAL L Y
" MUZZLES" THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH OF DEPED EMPLOYEES ONLINE AND OFFLINE.

" WHY DOES THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FEEL THE NEED TO CREATE SUCH AN ORDER
THAT
GAGS AND THREATENS TEACHERS AND EDUCATION SUPPORT PERSONNEL, WHICH TREATS THEM AS
M ERE CRE ATURE S O NL Y O F TH E SCH OO L , A N D D E HUMAN IZ E S TH E M PREV EN TIN G TH E M TO
EXE RCIS E THEIR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, EXPRESSION, TO ORGANIZE AND BE ABLE TO VOICE
OUT THEIR
GRIEVANCES?" CASTRO ASKED.

I NS TEA D O F CREATIN G S UC H PO LICIE S , TH E LAWMA KE R ADV ISE D D EPE D TO SOLV E E DUCATI ON -