WITH just a few days before the elections, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued a stern warning to all officials, teachers, and non-teaching personnel who will engage in electioneering and conduct partisan political activities in relation to the 2022 National and Local Elections.

The DepEd 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 list 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), headed by Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua, has been visiting regions and divisions to conduct briefings for DepEd teachers and personnel, and warn them against electioneering and partisan politics.

“We call on our DepEd officials and personnel to uphold political neutrality in the government service and maintain professionalism in the discharge of their duties,” according to the DepEd.

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.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Arlene Rivera