DepEd warns personnel: No electioneering
April Anne P. Diamzon
The Department of Education (DepEd), as the Election Day draws nears, has issued a stern warning to all officials, teachers, and non-teaching personnel: Don’t engage in electioneering and conduct partisan political activities in relation to the 2022 National and Local Elections.
The DepEd since last year has been consistently reminding everyone about the prohibition of government officials and employees from engaging in any electioneering and political partisan activities, as stipulated in the Constitution and in accordance with the existing rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commissions (CSC) and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
The lists of prohibited acts and excluded activities are emphasized in DepEd Order No. 48, series of 2018 (Prohibition on Electioneering and Partisan Political Activity) and its attached CSC Resolution. Moreover, the Office of the Undersecretary for Field Operations has issued an office memorandum (OM-OURO-22-030) dated March 11, 2022, addressed to all field officials and personnel reiterating existing government and DepEd policies on electioneering and partisan political activities.
The Election Task Force (ETF) has been visiting across all regions and divisions to conduct briefings for DepEd teachers and personnel, and warn them against electioneering and partisan politics.
Guided by these policies, the agency has called on personnel and stakeholders to champion a clean, safe, and fair elections in 2022, for the children and for the future of this nation.
The Department is calling on DepEd officials and personnel to uphold political neutrality in the government service and maintain professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
Failure of any DepEd official or personnel to comply with the existing rules and regulations of DepEd, COMELEC, and CSC shall be subjected to the necessary administrative actions pursuant to DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2006 (Revised Rules of Procedure of the Department of Education in Administrative Cases), the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, and the Omnibus Election Code.
The author
is Teacher
--oOo-
II at San Vicente Pilot School for Philippine Craftsmen