DepEd to punish teachers involved in lending activities

After receiving complaints from teacher-borrowers, Education Secretary Fe Hidalgo has imposed penalties against DepEd officials and personnel engaged in activities and have acted as agents relative to loans extended by accredited and non-accredited private lending institutions (PLIs).

Hidalgo, in an order, said that the said scenario is a clear violation of a circular issued by the Commission on Audit.

Hidalgo cited an example about a certain position used to control paycheck releases for the DepEd field offices. Teachers' paychecks were released direct to PLIs in the absence of a written authority from concerned teacher-borrowers.

"Cashiers, disbursing officers or other officials entrusted with the task of paying the salary or any money due the government official or employee or issuing the treasury warrant check covering the amount shall pay the same directly to such official and employee except when authority to collect the salary or any money due to him or her has been given to another person under a power of attorney or other forms of authority and the person so authorized is an immediate member of the family of the official or employee concerned or is the liaison officer duly designated by the chief or head of unit or agency," Hidalgo said. Pursuant to the DepEd policy, Hidalgo said that an official or employee who served as an agent for the PLIs will be deemed to have a conflict of interest and can be administratively charged or suspended for such. "All concerned are therefore ordered to cease and or refrain from getting involved in anomalous practices such as the above, otherwise, this office would be compelled to impose appropriate sanctions for individuals who will be found violating the Department policy," Hidalgo said.

She also encouraged all concerned to report to DepEd any direct or indirect DepEd personnel involvement in any similar or related activities concerning PLIs. - Jasmin R. Uy