More issues, harassments raisedagainst PSU execs

OJT students forced to work 

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The complaint of parents that their sons and daughters were made to work full time in a pharmaceutical laboratory firm while under On-the-Job Training (OJT) to complete their requirements for graduation at the Pangasinan State University (PSU) campus in San Carlos City appears as if it was only the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in that state-run university.

This as a PSU associate professor, Dr. Mariel Tapia, complained of having received a 90-day suspension order last May 27 from Dr. Dexter Buted, university president, for a reason she does not know except that she filed a case against Buted and other PSU officials before the Ombudsman in November last year.

Tapia clarified to newsmen that her suspension is not connected anyway with the complaint that 43 graduating PSU students were referred to a manpower agency JIF Human Referral Services located in Barangay Quezon, San Carlos City which later endorsed them to Interfil Laboratories Incorporated in Canlubang, Laguna and made them work full time from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. as if they were regular workers without any contract at all.

This is now under investigation by an ad hoc committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) as one of the OJT students, Dahrel de la Cruz, fell ill allegedly because of the pressure of work, triggered by an unsuitable environment in their work place.

The matter was contained in letter sent by parents to Gov. Amado Espino Jr. on May 30 which he immediately referred to the SP with Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim as presiding officer, for investigation.

Meanwhile, on the matter of the suspension of Dr. Tapia, she said the accountant of PSU handed her the suspension letter which she did not receive on advice of her lawyer.

Other concerns aired in that letter is the delayed release of paid school uniforms, advanced collection of payments without organized programs like seminars and shipboard training, to name a few, and the alleged persecution of some faculty, non-teaching personnel and other university officials who constructively critique the present PSU administration.

Some teaching and non-teaching personnel of PSU of San Carlos campus are questioning their sudden assignment to other campuses of the PSU which would be a big inconvenience to them because their new assignments are far from their homes. -- PNA