Chavit, Gabriela and DepEd reduced time

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

Militant women’s rights group Gabriela said while they were surprised by the decision of Rachel “Che” Tiongson to withdraw her court petition for a temporary protection order from her allegedly abusive former lover, they understand that she did so because of pressure.

The group has been providing moral support and even promised legal assistance to pursue the case against deputy national security adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson.

In a statement, Gabriela spokesperson Jom Salvador said for the past 25 years, many women who were victims of abuse tried to pursue justice, but collapsed under the pressure of going to court.

Gabriela said Tiongson folded because of the possibility that she might not see her children again. “Che has not seen her five children for fear that she will lose the temporary protection order that the court granted her and worse, be exposed to further harm by her powerful former partner. Che had constantly struggled from the emotional and psychological abuse that her situation was causing upon her and her family,” Salvador said.

On Wednesday, Tiongson asked the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 106 to withdraw her petition to pave the way for reconciliation “for the sake of the children.” Tiongson told the media that if she pursues her petition for a protection order, she would be separated from her children who are under Singson’s care. Gabriela urged Tiongson to be strong for the challenges that may arise after the withdrawal of the court request.

“We encourage her to be strong, and we do hope that in the end she can truly survive all the challenges and pressures. We hope that she treads the path that other women survivors of abuse and violence have taken – to see in other women victims a piece of her own struggle, and collectively break the silence and vow to fight to end violence against women,” Salvador said.
Ah! Ay apo aya nga talaga iti ayat nga agnanayon.
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Attention particularly school teachers and administrators! The reduced class time for each subject or learning area was stipulated under Department of Education Order No. 90, Series of 2009, which Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus reportedly issued to provincial and city schools superintendents and heads of elementary schools nationwide.

The DepEd official, who came to address the recent national convention of Administrative Officers Association of Department of Education (AOADE) at Teachers Camp in Baguio, said the directive was in response to alarming size or population of learners in a class or overcrowded classrooms caused by unprecedented increase in enrolment this school year especially in Metro Manila and other urban schools in the country.

The order was also intended to ensure physical and academic safety of young pupils even as it was in line with public clamor to lessen their learning loads to help ensure the delivery of quality basic education.

In was learned that Lapus’ order reduced the daily time allotment in Grades 1 and 2 from five to four hours or 240 minutes; in Grade 3, to 270 minutes, and in Grades 4, 5 and 6 to five hours or 300 minutes.

In order not to adversely affect the academic performance of pupils in minor subjects, the DepEd integrated Science and Health in English for Grades 1 and 2; Sibika at Kultura in Filipino for Grades 1, 2 and 3, and Musika, Sining at Edukasyong Pampalakas ng Katawan (MSEP) or Music, Arts and Physical Education in Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika (Hekasi) for Grades 4, 5 and 6.

The DepEd official said in the final analysis, it is the school principal who will determine the feasibility of enforcing or not the reduced class hours in his or her school taking into full consideration the school children’s academic welfare.