ILOILO – Over 30 mayors are seeking the removal of Ma. Luz De Los Reyes as superintendent of the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Iloilo.
A petition for this was submitted to the Department of Education (DepEd) central office, said League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) – Iloilo chapter president and San Enrique mayor Rosario Mediatrix “Trixie” Fernandez.
The mayors cited poor working relationship with De Los Reyes.
Fernandez cited, among others, De Los Reyes’ demeanor during the LMP-Iloilo chapter meeting at Casa Real de Iloilo on March 9. It was “kasubong nga arogante” (seemingly arrogant), she said.
In that meeting, Mina’s Mayor Lydia Grabato asked De Los Reyes about the annual expenses incurred in conducting the Congressional District Sports Association Meet (CDSA Meet), to which the latter responded that it was around P8 million.
Grabato considered it too big considering that local government units (LGUs) were also pitching in for the delegates’ food, vitamins, equipment, and training.
“Siling ni mayor kadaku gid, luwas pa na sa nagasto namon sa athletes. Why don’t we come up with a sustainable sports program beyond CDSA kay kadaku sang gina-spend. Dapat may sports program kita sa province nga continuous,” Fernandez recalled Grabato suggesting.
De Los Reyes replied that developing a sports program was beyond the SDO’s responsibility of SDO Iloilo and should be the local governments’.
“The way she answered amo ni hu: ‘Ay, indi na ya amon ya nga obra ya ang mag-develop sang sports program, inyo na ya nga mga mayors ang mag-obra sang sports program,” Fernandez recalled the heated discussion.
De Los Reyes could not be reached for comment as of this writing.
“Kon kis-a bala naga-discuss man lang kamo, may mga gina-istoryahan kamo, ngaa daw feeling ya daw kontra ya ang mga mayors. Wala man kita naga-try influence sa iya, siempre ma-query man kami how the money is being spent, ‘di ba kay naga-gasto man kita. Ngaa kadaku sang ginagasto sa CDSA, why not come up with a sustainable and long-lasting sports program na lang?” said Fernandez.
The mayors also pointed out the appointment of personnel to vacant positions in schools.
Fernandez said there were vacant positions in Leon and Lambunao with qualified applicants from the said towns, but De Los Reyes appointed personnel from other towns.
The mayor cited the newly transferred personnel from Mindanao who was placed in Leon and the applicant from Cabatuan who was placed in Lambunao.
Fernandez clarified that mayors do not influence the hiring decisions for DepEd personnel but lamented that applicants who live in an area, especially if they are qualified for the position, should be considered.
“Wala man namon gina-condemn si De Los Reyes as a person, siguro as a superintendent might work out with others, pero sa amon ya sa mga mayors daw indi manami ang ginpakita ya abi mo,” she said.
No politics
Fernandez said there is no political agenda behind the decision of mayors to file the petition, adding that the more than 30 mayors from different congressional districts have valid reasons.
DepEd-Iloilo information officer Leonil Salvilla confirmed that starting today, there will be a new SDO head for DepEd-Iloilo – Ernesto F. Servillon Jr.
Servillon was the former officer-in-charge of the Office of the Schools Division Superintendent of SDO Guimaras.
“Yes, first day [Monday],” Salvilla told Panay News yesterday afternoon.
However, Salvilla could not comment on whether the reassignment of De Los Reyes was the result of the LCEs’’ petition. He said nothing was included in the reassignment order that the DepEd-central office sent down; there could be other reasons.
A copy of the reassignment order issued by Undersecretary Revsee A. Escobedo of DepEd that Panay News got stated that De Los Reyes will be assigned to the SDO Iloilo City.
She will replace Novelyn M. Vilchez, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Schools Division Superintendent of the SDO Iloilo City.
Vilchez, meanwhile, will be transferred to the SDO Guimaras.
De Los Reyes served as the superintendent of SDO Iloilo since June 2022./PN
