WAS DEPED CHIEF IN CAHOOTS WITH VULTURES IN UNIFORMS SCAM?

BY ALEX P. VIDAL

Grafters in government were lucky there were no Facebook and Twitter when I made an expose on the teachers uniform anomaly in the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) now Department of Education (DepEd) in 1998, which didn't sit well with then Regional Director Pilar L. Pascual, who thought I was a media scalawag out to make a pile using the issue; or she thought I stumbled into a can of worms and caught her in flagrante delicto with hands in the cookie jar!

Had the expose happened today, the whole world would have been given a front seat view of how rotten was the system in this government agency via our Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as our private blogs. 

When I published Pascual's "regional order no. 7 series of 1998" dated March 9, 1998 regarding school/office uniforms addressed to all schools division superintendents, administrators and principals of schools, she would no longer accommodate my requests for interview in her office.

MEDIA 

How did she develop "media shyness" overnight remains a mystery which Pascual managed to keep under wraps until this day, wherever she is now.

In that regional order, Pascual "recommended" private contractor, Elizabeth Hammonds, as exclusive supplier "in compliance with Department Order No. 66 s. 1997."

"It is hereby ordered that all concerned acquire the uniforms in one form, cloth pattern and color tones as prescribed on the issuance," stated Pascual's order. "In order to get the same quality nearest to the authentic original winning entry of the required gala set, the complete uniform sets produced by the winner, Mrs. Elizabeth Hammonds is recommended."

VOLUME

Pascual explained that Hammonds' "volume production for the four complete sets are made of textile material which is durable, wrinkle free, soft, heavy drape, and 'wash and wear' kind, the same as one used for the original winning gala design sample."

Pascual's order continued: "With the 1997 clothing allowance allocated and received last year and the 1998 clothing allowance which is expected to be released soon, the amount is sufficient to buy the materials.

"The budget required to purchase the four sets of ready to wear uniforms is P3,450 for the teaching group and P3,550 for non-teaching group, while the pre-cuts clothing materials with complete accessories will cost P2,700 for the teaching group and P2,800 for non-teaching group considering the difference in the materials used."

STRICT

Pascual required the "strict compliance on wearing of uniforms for both groups" which will take effect "after all concerned are able to acquire complete sets and not later than the opening of classes on June 1998."

But, lo and behold, here comes the spoiler! 

Iloilo Schools Superintendent Raymundo Lapating flew the coop when he sent me a letter to clarify that Pascual's order had been rescinded by DECS Oder No. 43 series of 1998 and DECS Order No. 66 series of 1997 (the same order she had invoked in recommending Hammonds) dated Jan. 30, 1998 and Sept. 16, 1997, respectively.

Lapating earlier told me over the phone "I did not and do not intend to endorse or advertise products of any particular supplier, manufacturer or distributor of DECS uniforms; the aformentioned included."

POLICY

The policy, Lapating pointed out, was consistent with DECS Order No. 43, dated Jan. 30, 1998 which states that "DECS has not authorized or designated any individual or entity as the official supplier of the aforementioned uniforms and/or textile materials."

"To set the record straight and to avoid misinterpretation, it is hereby declared as a policy that the purchase of uniforms by the DECS personnel from any manufacturer, supplier or distributor is his own personal choice provided the materials conform with the specifications prescribed by DECS," Lapating explained in his letter.

In a stroke that broke the back of the camel, Lapating totally blew to pieces Pascual's recommendation of Hammonds by declaring that "consistent" with the DECS orders he had pointed out, "the purchase of DECS uniforms from teachers cooperative/association is hereby encouraged."