Lobbying for top DepEd post starts

Six months without a leader has opened up new and intense lobbying for the education department’s top post.

As Department of Education (DepEd) officials endorsed officer-in-charge Undersecretary Fe Hidalgo as their new secretary, an organization of public school teachers yesterday backed a politician for the job.

In a statement, the Philippine Public School Teachers Association (PPSTA) recommended Samar Rep. Eduardo Nachura, a former undersecretary of what was then the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, to be the new DepEd head.

The endorsement came as DepEd employees expressed apprehension over the possible designation of a politician as the new DepEd chief.

On the other hand, the PPSTA, which says it the largest organization of public educators in the country, cited Nachura’s concern for the welfare of public school teachers.

In a resolution addressed to President Arroyo, the PPSTA urged the Chief Executive to finally fill the six-month vacancy in the agency by appointing Nachura.

Nachura is known to have shown support for the improvement of public schools, encouragement for poor but deserving students to have an education, and has displayed a continuing awareness of the problems in both public and private education in the country, the group noted.

Nachura and Sen. Edgardo Angara are among those being considered for the post together with Hidalgo.

However, DepEd employees have been endorsing candidates other than Hidalgo.

In a statement Monday, the DepEd National Employees Union said if Malacañang is serious about "providing quality education, they should appoint an academician."

"The DepEd National Employees Union denounce any appointment of politicians," said lawyer Domingo Alidon, DepEd National Employees Union (NEU) president.

But according to the PPSTA, DepEd employees led by Alidon himself had endorsed Nachura.

"Nachura had earlier been endorsed by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and the rank-and-file DepEd employees including the DepEd National Employees Union led by Atty. Domingo Alidon," said the statement issued by Ramon Asuncion Jr., PPSTA board secretary and general manager.

DepEd employees have expressed concern over the long delay in finding a replacement for Secretary Florencio Abad, who quit his job at the height of the "Hello, Garci" controversy involving the President.

Alidon said DepEd employees are calling on the Palace not to take the DepEd for granted as it is the biggest bureaucracy in government, though until now, it is operating without a secretary.

Abad was among the administration officials who resigned from their post last July and subsequently called for the President to step down amid allegations that she cheated in the May 2004 presidential election.

Apart from Abad, those who resigned were Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles, Trade Secretary Juan Santos, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, National Anti-Poverty Commission head Imelda Nicolas and Land Reform Secretary Rene Villa.

Two revenue collection officers, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Guillermo Parayno and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina, also resigned. — Sandy Araneta