Deped Order No.
49, series of 2022
“Professionalism”
Sara Duterte declared the DepEd Order No. 49, series of 2022 at the date of
November 2, 2022 speculating that the teachers should promote professionalism outside of
the school premises. Outrage and lot of reactions arises as the Vice President Sara Duterte
declared the said memorandum; some approved to the memorandum while others aren’t.
According to Sara Duterte, “ang pagiging magkaibigan dapat nasa loob lang ng
classroom or school setting at hindi natin idadala sa labas. Dapat, as a teacher, meron
talagang line between him or her and the learner. Dapat hindi sila magkaroon ng friendly
relations with their learners outside of the learning institution setting dahil nagkakaroon ng
bias iyong isang tao kapag nagiging kaibigan na niya. Of course, relationships, mayroong
mga problema iyan.” In short, Sara declares that no “student-teacher” relationship outside
school premises to avoid lechery or bias.
Duterte cited "incidents" when DepEd personnel were involved in criminal activities
or become victims of crime.
"And isa ito sa mga nakita namin din na mga incidents, recent incidents 'no, ng mga teachers
natin na lumalabas with their students and they're involved in, should we say, criminal, not
really criminal activities, but they are involved in crime. It's either nagiging suspect sila or
nagiging biktima sila," she explained.
"In one case, we had a teacher having a drinking spree with a student na sinasak siya ng isang
student. So these are instances na preventable kung nire-recognize ng ating teaching and non-
teaching staff sa Department of Education na dapat merong linya doon," she added.
On a sexual harassment case in Cavite, Duterte said the preventive suspension has been
imposed on teachers involved, while students have been assisted in the legal process.
It concludes that professionalism should be learned for the safety of the student and
the teacher, deduced that bias and favoritism will occur.
In regards to Hermeneutical Phenomenology, Being professional every time has its
own Pros and Cons, Pros of it is as a teacher, you can make a great positive impact to
students, help your students develop, learn and have positive influence on future generations;
you can be also a role model to the students, specifically you can cheer and motivate them up
as a teacher on how you survived and experience the life as a student; share your passion.
But, it has its own cons too; Teaching can be stressful knowing there are a lot of
works, responsibilities, and trouble-maker students.
According to Cesare Beccaria’s Theory; Rational Choice Theory, as we have our own
choices in life, it may affect the society around you positively or not, as a professional teacher
it also has boundaries of choices, there are sectors of line to cross as it is part of the job, but
there is also tons of lines that must not be dared to cross.
Hangout with your students is fine and all, but it should be also be reminded that
you’re still a teacher and have great responsibility in a group, teachers can have fun with their
students but must be limited and compromised to do more further, example of it is drinking
alcoholic beverages with them, or just don’t bring any alcoholic beverages.
They can also form friendships and kinships with their students, part of it is the phrase
commonly heard every day, “Guro ang pangalawang magulang”. But as said, there should be
also a limit, in between the friendship and kinships, there’s a gap in line that bias and
favoritism must be compromised to promotes fairness towards the teacher and the students.
