Thursday, June 26, 2008

Mayor Wants DepEd To Leave Old City Hall Building

Published by the Bohol Standard - The brewing conflict between Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim and City Schools Division OIC Dr. Norma Varquez appears now cooling off as a mediator made its timely entry.

This came despite confirmation from Varquez that her office received from the office of the City Mayor last Tuesday an official Notice to Vacate within 60 days from its occupied second floor of the old city hall.

The City DepEd Division transferred there in 2004 when the city government moved to its new building in Dao.

A reliable source told the STANDARD Department of Education Regional Director Carolino Mordeno had discreetly come to Tagbilaran last week (with select media invited) and called to a conciliatory meeting OIC Varquez and the city mayor.

This was made possible through the initiative of Bohol Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Elpidio Jala. He was the former City Division superintendent when it was still in its interim status followed by Varquez after he was promoted as head of the DepEd Bohol Division Office upon retirement of Dr. Cerina Bolos.

Superintendent Jala was the most worried in the rift between the city mayor and the City Schools Division knowing how the city government supports the education program of the agency, even during his stint as the first interim city schools division superintendent.

Varquez, however, said in an interview, she will continue to abide to the DepEd Order No 4, Series of 2007 which provides the guidelines in appointment of teachers.

The OIC city schools division head also reiterated her respect to the mayor while denying she ever ignored or bypassed Lim being the city's chief executive.

"Honestly, I do not really know what I have been guilty of but just the same, I am rendering my apologies to the city mayor," Dr. Varquez said.

She also considered the incident as maybe a way for the City DepEd to finally find a place totally their own.

She said if the city mayor insists that the City Division transfer to somewhere else within 60 days, they will have to find a place. Eyed are vacant spaces inside the City Central School or in the City Science High School building.

City Mayor Lim was reportedly infuriated by the bypassing of his office in the appointment of teachers.

The mayor wanted that those serving as city-paid teachers funded by the City Special Education Fund (SEF) be given preference to appointment for vacant positions since they are the ones actually sacrificing on the job.

These teachers receives small salaries from the city and have been serving while waiting for DepEd positions, the mayor insisted.Visit www.iamafilipina.com