Concerned parents slam school principal
A girl assisted by her mother buys water from the
Automated Tubig Machine (ATM) inside the
SPED-ISEC.
Concerned parents of students from SPED-Integrated School for Exceptional Children (SPED-ISEC) hauled the school's principal Ms. Elizabeth Orquiola to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for alleged infractions of Republic Act 6713 otherwise known as Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
In a letter addressed to the Regional Director of CSC Region 6 dated November 6, 2006, copy of which was obtained by The News Today, the concerned parents protested the installation of a private business, the Automated Tubig Machine (ATM), inside the school premises without conducting prior consultation.
"We believe that any transaction entered into by the school officials especially where it concerns the safety of our children, should be brought up for consultation," said the concerned parents.
"We also believe that consultations should be conducted where a transaction involves private interests. Ms. Orquiola may have forgotten that as a principal of a public school, and therefore, a public official, she must conduct herself with utmost propriety and integrity to ease all doubts as to her participation in a private business interest within government premises or at least permission to have it operate within government premises," the letter continued.
The concerned parents also observed that the ATM, which is situated at the very entrance of the school, "(hampers) the orderly ingress and and egress of students." They said the structure also makes exit difficult during during emergency situations.
The concerned parents also claimed that Orquiola maintains a substantial interest in a private pre-school in Oton named Headstart, "affecting her faithful performance of her official duty as principal of SPED-ISEC, in violation of 'conflict of interest' clause of R.A. 6713."
A source showed to The News Today the registration papers of Headstart at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) naming Orquiola as one of the incorporators.
The complainants noted that SPED-ISEC maintains its own Headstart which requires parents to pay the necessary tuition of P1,000.
"Perhaps there is a link between Headstart-Oton and SPED-ISEC's Headstart," the source suspected.
"If indeed Headstart is a private enterprise, as that of Headstart-Oton where Ms. Orquiola has substantial interest, then she has violated to the highest degree the 'conflict of interest' clause absent any divestment of her interest from said business enterprise," the letter further reads.
The concerned teachers also wanted Orquiola investigated for allowing SPED-ISEC teachers to conduct tutoring services for a fee for other SPED-ISEC students.
"We perceive that for reasons of propriety and under the principle of command responsibility as school principal, Ms. Orquiola should order her teachers to refrain from this practice, lest blow fire to the wrong perception that her SPED-ISEC teachers may be giving out leakages during their tutorials," they averred.