Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 17) — The Department of Education (DepEd) has assumed authority over 14 schools affected by the territorial row between the cities of Makati and Taguig.
In a department order released on Wednesday, DepEd said “the Office of the Secretary (OSec) shall directly supervise the management and administration of all 14 schools, pending a transition plan, effective immediately.”
The agency added that a transition committee composed of a regional director, the DepEd schools division superintendents of Taguig-Pateros and Makati, and the legal officers of both cities has been created.
DepEd’s move came as the schools became entangled in the land row between the two cities just weeks before the opening of the new school year.
Makati claimed that Taguig “attempted to forcibly take possession of several public elementary and high school buildings” — an allegation that was refuted by the latter.
READ: Taguig denies ‘forcible’ takeover of EMBO schools from Makati
Makati Mayor Abby Binay also offered to provide free uniforms, shoes, and school supplies to more than 30,000 students in the schools. However, Binay said they were told by Taguig officials to give the supplies instead to calamity victims.
READ: Fake news, false narratives: Taguig denies rejecting school supplies from Makati
READ: Binay fires back, says Taguig told Makati to just donate school supplies to calamity victims
Meanwhile, in separate statements, both the Makati and Taguig city governments welcomed the decision made by Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte.
“This decision will greatly ease the worries and concerns of our students, parents and teachers,” Binay said Thursday.
“We look forward to working wholeheartedly with the transition team created by the Vice President,” the Makati City mayor added.
Taguig City’s statement, on the other hand, said Duterte’s “decision to immediately form a Transition Committee without the need for a Writ of Execution, a move that was welcomed by Mayor Binay herself, puts an end to the issue and allows all parties to move forward for the benefit of the community.”
During the transition period, all activities to be conducted by the 14 public schools will need the approval of the OSec. School heads are also mandated to directly report and defer to the OSec “on matters pertaining to the daily operations of the subject public schools.”
The tasks of the transition committee include:
– Preparing a physical inventory of all properties involved;
– Collating transition documents including a complete list of existing contracts involving the operations of the subject schools; and
– Creating a final transition plan
DepEd said the Philippine National Police will ensure the strict implementation of its order.
The 14 schools affected by the dispute are:
1. Makati Science High School
2. Comembo Elementary School
3. Rizal Elementary School
4. Pembo Elementary School
5. Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino High School
6. Tibagan High School
7. Fort Bonifacio Elementary School
8. Fort Bonifacio High School
9. Pitogo Elementary School
10. Pitogo High School
11. Cembo Elementary School
12. East Rembo Elementary School
13. West Rembo Elementary School
14. South Cembo Elementary School
The schools are located in 10 barangays that the Supreme Court ruled with finality in June to be within the jurisdiction of Taguig.
The ruling follows a two-decade legal battle between the cities on jurisdiction over the Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation, which includes the prized Bonifacio Global City.
