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DepEd, ACT warn teachers

Fees for COLA claims unnecessary

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 3) — The Baguio City Division of the Department of Eduction and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) are calling on all public school teachers not to be deceived by the Action and Solidarity for the Empowerment of Teachers (ASERT).

ACT-MB Coordinator Irene Nabunat condemned ASERT for allegedly deceiving and unduly collecting money from public school teachers for a fake cost of living allowance (COLA) claim.

Nabunat disclosed that Linda Gubrin and Fidel Fababier, ASERT representatives, went to several elementary and secondary schools here to convince teachers to support a legal case filed for COLA claims through signing a special power of attorney (SPA). She said that Gubrin and Fababier collected P100 processing fee and P50 transportation fee from around 200 teachers they have convinced.

Nabunat clarified that there is no need for a legal case to be filed because COLA is a legally mandated benefit. She said the Supreme Court already issued a ruling declaring that “no legal impediment exists for the payment of the COLA for all government workers hired before 1989 until 1999 for national government agencies and until 2003 for GOCCs (Government Owned and Controlled Corporations) and GFIs (Government Funding Institutions)”.

Nabunat further said that government agencies are directed to process COLA claims of their employees. In the case of teachers, a September 10 memorandum from the office of the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered concerned officials to compute the COLA and amelioration pays of teachers under their jurisdiction.

“It is clear that all government employees will receive COLA and amelioration pays. The problem now is where to get the funds for the COLA,” she explained.

According to a teacher who requested anonymity, Gubrin told them that only those who signed the SPA would be granted COLA benefits.

Ed Mariñas, DepEd administrative officer of the Division of Baguio City said in an interview that if the government would give COLA, it is for all government employees not just for a group or an organization. He added that there is no need to pay any amount to any organization or group for the processing of COLA. He further clarified that DepEd is the proper agency to process the COLA of teachers.

Mariñas said he would talk to all city district supervisors to address the emerging problem on groups allegedly collecting undue fees from teachers for COLA claims.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, ACT National Coordinator Ronald Quetua revealed that “ASERT is extorting money from teachers on a national scale”. He said that ACT-National has received complaints from Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Southern Tagalog and some parts of Mindanao.

He said ASERT is even name dropping ACT or credible ACT personalities to get support from teachers.

Quetua further disclosed that ASERT leader Fababier is an expelled member of ACT because he went against the principles of ACT, one of which is true service for teachers.

Quetua also challenged ASERT leaders to a debate on the COLA issue.

Nordis tried but failed to get a statement from ASERT. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS

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