A debate erupted within the Baguio City Council during the regular session on November 25, 2024 over an anonymous letter assailing the GO & LEAD Program conducted by the Schools Division Office-Baguio.
The GO & LEAD Program is a five-month professional development training designed to empower school heads and enhance education in Baguio City. The program is made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Office of Congressman Mark Go, DepEd-Baguio, the Australian Government in the Philippines, the Philippine Business for Education, and Global Resources for Assessment Curriculum and Evaluation (GRACE).
The program is unique to Baguio City but aligns with DepEd’s goals of training school heads for professional development. The topics under this program were based on a needs survey conducted among school heads.
‘We remain – a curious case of anonimity’
The anonymous letter, bearing the pen name “We Remain” and addressed to Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan, alleged that Officer-in-Charge Schools Division Superintendent (OIC SDS) Soraya Faculo had exerted excessive authority by enforcing participation in the GO & LEAD Program even at the expense of other DepEd activities, resulting in disruptions in schools, particularly during critical times like final exams.
The sender also accused Faculo of sidelining DepEd programs and priorities such as professional development and centralized assessments in favor of external initiatives like the GRACE assessment which the sender alleged is associated with Go’s family.
Furthermore, the letter raised claims of violations of DepEd testing guidelines, abuse of authority and resources by Faculo, implementation of non-priority projects such as Khan Academy activities that detract from DepEd’s core objectives, undue political influence affecting Faculo’s appointment and decisions, and improper conduct and organization of events, including the 56th founding anniversary motorcade and awards.
The sender called on the city council members to intervene and investigate these issues as many are reportedly afraid to speak out due to Faculo’s alleged influence and connections.
Upon receipt on September 25, 2024, the letter was forwarded to Councilor Fed Bagbagen, who chairs the City Council’s Committee on Ethics, Governmental Affairs, and Personnel, for appropriate action. Bagbagen then requested a forum with DepEd-CAR, OIC SDS Faculo, and the school heads of SDO-Baguio during the city council’s regular session.
During the November 25 city council session, an extensive discussion took place to explore the issues raised in the complaint letter. However, the council members were divided on procedures and the validity of the complaint.
Councilors debate protocols, anonymity, and political implications
Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda emphasized that the process for inviting guests was not observed, bypassing the city council’s established protocol. She clarified that, under standard practice, a resolution to invite guests for a forum must be approved by the city council before the forum occurs.
Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer Faustino Olowan argued that the invitation does not necessarily require city council approval, asserting that it falls within the discretion of the committee chair. He also insisted on consulting the rules for clarification to verify Tabanda’s claim.
As a response, Tabanda cited Ordinance 64-2012 (Establishing the Rules and of Procedure Governing Inquiries in Aid of Legislation) which mandates that when a proposed resolution for an inquiry is submitted, the Vice Mayor or Presiding Office must refer it to the appropriate committee. If the matter is deemed urgent, the usual process of referring the resolution to a committee can be bypassed. This requires a majority vote from all council members present. In complex cases, multiple committees or the whole council may handle the inquiry.
Section 4 of the ordinance states that a complaint must be sworn to under oath to ensure the complaint’s credibility and seriousness.
Through Ordinance 64-2013, the city council or its committees is empowered to hold inquiries in aid of legislation following specific rules. Inquiries may cover legislative investigations on alleged inefficiencies or corruption in government services. All inquiries, except those conducted in executive sessions, must take place at the committee level or during a regular or special session convened for this purpose.
Councilor Mylen Victoria Yaranon criticized the decision to discuss a letter from an anonymous source, asserting that it is improper for the city council to entertain unsigned complaints. Expressing her strong objection, she emphasized that the city council is placing undue importance to an unsigned letter.
“The reason I ask if We Remain has a representative here is that I don’t understand why we are entertaining an unsigned letter in the City Council. I am unclear as to why this is even on our agenda.” Yaranon said.
Olowan argued that despite being anonymous, the letter contains specific allegations and referenced names and employees. He said the city council should determine whether the claims are valid to promote transparency and accountability. He challenged the city council members to examine the situation, particularly regarding the welfare of students.
While expressing concern about the anonymity of the complainants, Olowan asserted that the facts in the complaint appear credible. He suggested that the complainants should come forward with their full names and formalize their complaint, stressing that if the allegations are true, they could negatively impact the quality of education in the city.
Councilor Fred Bagbagen questioned the acronym GO & LEAD (Generate Opportunities and Lead in Education to Accelerate Development) and raised concerns about the use of politicians’ names in public programs. He mentioned the proposed anti-epal ordinance which he authored. This proposed ordinance seeks to discourage the use of politicians’ names in government projects as well as in public spaces. He suggested that the ordinance might need an amendment to ensure that even programs like DepEd’s initiatives do not carry the names of politicians.
Councilor Arthur Allad-iw also questioned the program’s title, suggesting a possible link to local politics, especially given the involvement of Go in facilitating funding.
Councilor Jose Molintas said there did not appear to be anything objectionable about the program itself, but he raised concerns about the lack of transparency and proper communication regarding its initiation. He argued that stakeholders such as the DepEd Secretary, the Regional Director, and the Mayor’s Office should have been informed in advance to ensure that everyone could support and defend the program if necessary.
Molintas stressed that transparency is crucial for crediting innovative initiatives and maintaining the city’s positive image. He said that better communication would prevent misunderstandings and allow all involved parties to explain and support the program effectively.
School heads and DepEd-CAR defend Go & Lead Program
Jackson Cayaos, Principal of Baguio Central School, and Danilo Gayao, Principal of Pines City National High School, both attended the forum and denied any knowledge of an entity named “We Remain” or the existence of the letter.
Gayao and Cayaos confirmed that the SDO-Baguio initiated the program, but Go’s office helped coordinate with other stakeholders. He denied the claim that school heads had been forced to attend, emphasizing that they were “encouraged” and that their consent was sought before participation. He added that a commitment form had been signed by the school heads to indicate their agreement to participate, stressing that participation was not mandatory.
They mentioned five modules covered over the five months: Leadership and Reflective Leadership; Data-Driven Decision Making and School Management; Educational Technology; Benchmarking, Monitoring, and Evaluation; and Summary and Ongoing Monitoring.
They also explained that the program was funded by the Australian Government and facilitated free of charge, with outputs tailored to improve school management and the employability of senior high students.
They said the GO & LEAD Program and the Khan Academy aim to enhance the quality of education and measure students’ capabilities in English, Science, and Math. He further stated that these innovations are part of a larger effort to improve academic achievement in Baguio City which is recognized as one of the most effective divisions in the DepEd-CAR.
Cayaos said facing accusations or criticisms is “demoralizing,” especially when such issues are brought before the city council instead of being resolved within the DepEd organization.
Meanwhile, DepEd-CAR Regional Director Estela Leon-Cariño confirmed the validity of the GO & LEAD Program and the Khan Academy and clarified that DepEd-CAR had been informed about these programs, although the information came after the program had already started. However, she stated that future projects could benefit from better communication and early involvement of relevant parties.
Regarding grievances, Cariño explained that their office requires a properly signed and notarized complaint to take action. She stated that the anonymous nature of the complaint written under the name “We Remain” makes it challenging to pursue.
Cariño emphasized that no action will be taken unless a formal letter is addressed to her personally as the Regional Director.
Election laws clarified
In response to an inquiry from Councilor Fred Bagbagen regarding whether the issue constitutes partisan political activity by indirectly supporting a particular candidate, COMELEC-Baguio Election Officer Atty. John Paul Martin clarified that such activity is only considered an offense during the campaign period which begins in March 2024 for local positions.
Martin explained that, under election laws, individuals who have filed their Certificate of Candidacy (COC), including elected officials, are not yet regarded as “official candidates” before the campaign period. Consequently, civil service employees, including those under the Department of Education (DepEd), cannot be classified as engaging in electioneering or partisan political activity before this time even if their actions might appear partisan.
In line with Bagbagen’s argument that restricting partisan activities solely to the campaign period could create a loophole that allows public officials and civil service employees to campaign prematurely, Martin clarified that civil service employees are prohibited from engaging in partisan activities at any time under the Omnibus Election Code. He explained that civil service employees are held to a stricter standard due to the non-political nature of their roles. Elected officials, however, follow different guidelines that are tied to their status as official candidates and the designated campaign period.
Acknowledging Bagbagen’s concern, Martin emphasized the need to distinguish between civil service employees and elected officials regarding what is permissible.
Addressing the concerns about whether the program might be considered a form of “politicking” considering that its title may be tied to Go’s name, Martin clarified that no electioneering or campaigning took place as the program was not part of an electoral campaign and no political activities related to the upcoming elections were involved.
Councilor Arthur Allad-iw said there are “gray areas” in this situation and inquired about the possible legal consequences if any election law violations are proven. Martin said that if a civil service employee is found to be guilty of engaging in electioneering, this could be considered an election offense under the omnibus Election Code.
Martin also acknowledged that other laws such as Republic Act No. 6713 could apply if there is evidence of wrongdoing by public officials and employees.
OIC SDS Faculo responds
Despite her absence from the November 27 forum with the city council due to a prior commitment, Faculo responded to the allegations made by the sender.
In her letter to the city council, Faculo questioned which specific claims are relevant to legislation, asserting that the allegations should have been validated by the committee level of the city council or referred to proper agencies such as the DepEd or the Civil Service Commision (CSC).
Faculo explained that the GO & LEAD Program followed the required processes including validation by the DepEd’s Learning and Development System, the CSC, and the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC), and that it was vetted by multiple bodies such as the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Philippine Business for Education.
The OIC SDS dismissed the claim that participants had been forced to join as the program adhered to proper procedures. She further clarified that the GRACE PASS, a key component of the GO & LEAD Program, was used to gather baseline data for school improvement, particularly in addressing student learning gaps in subjects like Math, English, and Science and that the DepEd lacks the capacity to provide such per-student data.
Furthermore, Faculo highlighted the various partnerships that the DepEd-Baguio had established with organizations and businesses to address learning poverty and resource constraints in public schools, emphasizing that no project from institutions or individuals had been rejected since DepEd-Baguio welcomes initiatives to improve the learning environment.
She confirmed that the DepEd-Baguio is implementing the Khan Academy pilot program in collaboration with other divisions and stressed that this initiative aligns with the MATATAG Curriculum to address the literacy and numeracy gaps.
Faculo also denied the claim that there are secretaries who she controls as her personal assistants, clarifying that administrative assistants manage a large volume of work to support 67 public and 90 private schools. Additionally, she defended her staff’s dedication and called for concerns to be addressed through proper DepEd procedures.
She provided the city council members with the latest compendium of the DepEd Baguio’s actions and decisions to support her leadership and to clarify the issues raised in the complaint letter.
City Council’s action
Upon Bagbagen’s motion, the city council referred the matter to a committee for further study and recommendation, as well as to DepEd-CAR, given that it is the disciplining authority in this case.
Likewise, the city council approved Yaranon’s motion to task the appropriate committee with addressing the issue of whether to entertain unsigned letters. She noted that the city council may be spending too much time on such letters and emphasized the need for a formal decision on whether these complaints should be accepted. **Jordan G. Habbiling
