DepEd-7 director moved to region 6

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Education (DepEd) is reshuffling its regional officials nationwide amid the ongoing pandemic that has forced the education system in the country to adopt a blended learning system.

DepEd-7 director Salustiano Jimenez confirmed yesterday that he was among the regional officials affected by the revamp. Jimenez was reassigned as the new regional director of DepEd-6 effective immediately.

“I received the order last night. As of now we are still preparing like clearances, yearend reports and other documents. Maybe mga next week or the third week of this month pa ko mobalhin,” Jimenez told The Freeman yesterday.

Based on the memorandum signed by Secretary Leonor Briones, the new DepEd-7 director is Dr. Ramir Uytico from region 8.

According to Jimenez, the reshuffling has been done nationwide and the last area to be affected was the Visayas. He described his transfer to region 6 as normal in the department.

Jimenez was assigned in Central Visayas since September 6, 2017. He said the normal tenure of a regional director before he is transferred to another assignment is only three years.

Meanwhile, Jimenez said that the P10,000 incentive performance for the 82,000 public school teachers and non-teaching personnel in Central Visayas is expected to be released this month.

“Last year pa man ni gi-process. So, hopefully within this month, ma release na ni,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez added that they have not received any guidelines yet as to the additional P1,500 annual teaching allowance for public school teachers that was included in the 2021 budget recently approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The P1,500 allowance for this year, Jimenez said, aims to assist the teachers in the distance learning modalities implementation.   Currently, the teachers’ annual teaching allowance is P3,500.

“But as of now, we have not received any guidelines or communication on this matter. We will just have to wait for the meantime,” Jimenez said. — FPL (FREEMAN)