In another milestone event of DEpEd Calamba City and in its pursuit to provide high quality, relevant and conscientious basic education, the Division recently launched the 1st TEA Governance Forum. This day also marked the commitment of DepEd Calamba City to provide to Transparent, Ethical, and Accountable Governance and explore ways of promoting personal and professional integrity across all levels at the Division.
The opening program, hosted by Mr. Florentino Lara, started with the singing of the National Anthem led by the Deped Calamba City Chorale. This was followed by the Doxology sung by Ms. Kristina A. Manalo and Calamba Hymn again led by the Deped Calamba City Chorale. This was followed by a roll call of participants facilitated by Dr. Dolorosa S. De Castro, CID Chief. In her welcome remarks, Ms. Marivic Calderon, Principal of JRMS, extended her warm welcome and gratitude to all the participants for their attendance. The participants were also entertained by an intermission number by talented students from the Special Program in the Arts of Calamba Bayside National High School.
“It is not easy to become transparent, ethical and accountable public servants. We need to be guided by the fact that we are here to serve, not to be served.” These are some of the words of Dr. Rosemarie D. Torres, Schools Division Superintendent, in her inspirational message. She further emphasized that “We need to be inspired by the thought that all of us were selected by God to be with Him and to be like Him in this humble mission of molding our school children. That’s something that we need to be thankful for and we need to be proud of because not everybody has been blessed to be like us. In fact, many are dying to be a part of the DepEd family.”
To further explain TRANSPARENCY, Dr. Torres said that there is a need to open all channels of communication. Everyone, especially the stakeholders need to know the important information that concerns them. She reiterated the importance of having transparency boards in the Division and in schools. Here, the MOOE and net proceeds of school canteens must be posted. All applicants and candidates for promotions and vacant positions must know how they are being rated.
For ETHICAL governance, the SDS highlighted that “We must always do the right thing. We must do everything in accordance with the norms. We must be good role models. How we walk and how we talk, how we make decisions, and how we deal with other people.” According to her, even the least member of our society must be treated with respect because everyone is important. She added with conviction, “A thousand of words is unimportant compared to only one act of kindness that you would like to empathize. Walk the talk. Practice what you preach.”
Dr. Torres emphasized ACCOUNTABILITY and mentioned that “All of us are accountable for every decision we make and for every action we do. We are accountable not only to ourselves but to all our stakeholders.” Addressing the teachers, she said, “Mga guro, kailangan tayong maglingkod ng tapat at mahusay. Magturo at maglingkod, hindi lamang gamit ang ating utak, kundi gamit ang ating puso. Para sa mabisang pagkatuto ng ating mga magaaral.”
In her closing reminders, the SDS said “Please let us join hands in making a difference in the lives of our students in trying to exert our best effort to become transparent, ethical and accountable public servants. In her well-applauded speech, Dr. Torres ended with the mantra of DepEd Calamba City, “Una sa lahat, tapat at karapat dapat, SDO Calamba City.
In her statement of purpose, Dr. Lourdes T. Bermudez, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent remarked that the event marks a new milestone in the Schools Division of Calamba City. The ASDS enumerated the reasons for the TEA Governance forum. “There are three primary reasons: one is the intense implementation of the advocacy for transparent, ethical, and accountable governance. Advocacy is not only about promotion and advancement of information or the so-called creation of awareness but most importantly, we would like everyone to become ambassadors of the TEA governance by setting good examples, not by just mere lip service,” Dr. Bermudez explained.
She reiterated what the SDS has said that “We have to walk our talk.” Dr. Bermudez also added that the second reason is to motivate all DepEd teaching and non-teaching personnel to be Ambassadors of the TEA governance in practicing the SCOUTER’S ROCK. She elaborated that there are 12 things that we need to do to concretize TEA governance through the SCOUTER’S ROCK. The ASDS added, “We do hope that we can be ambassadors who would create a culture of service for the good of all school children.”
The last reason, according to Dr. Bermudez, is to enhance the quality of services delivered by the personnel of the Division Office and all public Elementary, Secondary and Senior High Schools for the internal and external stakeholders. “We are expected to deliver our duties and functions with efficacy, efficiency and effectiveness in order to provide excellent services that our students truly deserve.” She further explained that everyone will be expressing deep support to the promotion of TEA Governance in the division. Dr. Bermudez closed her statement of purpose by saying, “We do hope that though this TEA Governance we can create a new culture in the division.”
Most of the programs of the Department will not be successful without the support of the Local Government Unit. Mayor Justin Marc SB. Chipeco had always been very supportive of the projects of DepEd Calamba City. Mr. Philip Bautista, represented the Mayor to deliver a message of support in promoting a Transparent, Ethical, and Accountable Governance.
In his message, he emphasized the very important role that teachers play in the lives of students and said that the Government has full support of the teachers. “Ang DepEd po at ang City Government ay napakalalim ng ugnayan. Ang suporta ng ating Mayor Timmy Chipeco, Vice Mayor Ross Rizal, at ng buong Sangguniaan ay 100 percent po,” said Mr. Philip Bautista as he ended his inspirational message.
As the newly appointed TEA Governance Coordinator of the Division, Mr. Paulino Castro, Senior Education Program Specialist for Human Resource Training and Development fully explained each strand of SCOUTERS ROCK. The Region’s mantra, to wit: “Excellence is a culture and Quality is a commitment” can be achieved if all personnel will imbibe the principles and adhere to practical ways of TEA Governance explicitly enshrined in SCOUTERS ROCK.
Mr. Castro shared some of his experiences that provided relevant discussion toward vivid understanding on how to uplift the basic education services of SDO Calamba City. True enough, he persistently encouraged and inspired the participants to work hand in hand to for its continued success.
Ms. Clariza G. Terones, EPS of EsP, discussed the criteria for the Search for Transparent, Ethical, and Accountable (TEA) Governance Ambassadors. This is in reference to DepEd-4A-RM-01-17-157 dated March 21, 2017.
The goals of the search to ensure sustainability of the advocacy for Transparent, Ethical, and Accountable (TEA) Governance in DepEd Region IV-A CALABARZON and to establish a mechanism for recognizing TEA Governance Ambassadors. Ms. Terones explained that the search is open to teachers, school heads, supervisors, ASDS, SDS, and other officials who carry out their duties and functions with efficiency and effectiveness.
Ms. Terones further explained the functions of TEA Governance. Further, she reminded the audience that the SDS and ASDS shall gain the rank of Diamond TEA Governance Ambassadors once they: a. Sign a commitment to implement SCOUTERS ROCK; b. Serve as lead advocate for TEA Governance; and c. Join the TEA Governance FB page.
Dr. Randy Punzalan, Senior Education Program Specialist for Research, energetically facilitated and served as the moderator of the Open Forum of the program. He also taught and demonstrated the mantra of the Division which he said can be used to represent the division during trainings and conferences. This mantra is “Una sa lahat, tapat at karapat dapat, SDO Calamba City.”
Another highlight of the event was the Pledge of Commitment of all the TEA Governance Ambassadors. Dr. Rosemarie D. Torres led all teaching and non-teaching personnel to repeat as she read the Pledge of Commitment.
To further solidify the support of all TEA Governance Ambassadors, a Ceremonial Signing was also done where DepEd leaders, headed by the SDS and ASDS also showed their support thr0ough affixing their signatures on the commitment stand.
Prepared by:
Randy D. Punzalan, SEPS/DIO
Pamela D. Rodelas, PDO II, LRMDS