DepEd steps in to directly supervise 14 schools in Makati-Taguig row  

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education will temporarily assume direct supervision of the 14 schools affected by the recent Supreme Court decision on the border dispute between the cities of Makati and Taguig.   

Saying that it “recognizes the increasing tension” in the schools, DepEd issued Department Order 23, s. 2023 on Wednesday, which states that the Office of the Secretary shall “directly supervise the management and administration of all 14 schools, pending a transition plan, effective immediately.” A copy of the DepEd order was uploaded on the agency’s website on Thursday.

“DepEd looks forward to a peaceful and orderly opening of classes on August 29, 2023,” it said in a statement.

The 14 public schools, which are located in the “embo” barangays or enlisted men’s barrios at Makati, have been caught up in a turf war between the city governments of Makati and Taguig. 

The jurisdiction of these schools was recently transferred from Makati to Taguig following the Supreme Court decision ruling that the ten barangays in Makati’s second district and the 729-hectare Bonifacio Global City and are within Taguig’s jurisdiction.

Since the SC decision, Taguig officials have been accused by Makati officials of turning away Makati’s offer to provide free educational materials and supplies to the schools. Taguig denied the allegation and said this was a "lie and another desperate attempt to mislead the public."

The city government of Makati, meanwhile, has allegedly not acted on requests for data and information needed for school planning before the school year starts on August 29, the Taguig City government said.

Transition plan

DepEd has also ordered a creation of a transition committee that would prepare the turnover of the 14 schools to the local government of Taguig. 

The committee will be composed of the schools division superintendent of Taguig-Pateros and Makati City, a regional director from outside the National Capital Region, and the city legal officers of Makati and Taguig. 

The committee will be tasked with the inventory of all properties involved, a collation of all transition documents and contracts related to the schools' operations and the creation of a final transition plan.

“During the transition period, all activities to be conducted within the premises of and/or in relation to the subject public schools, including those from the Local Government Units of Makati and Taguig, shall require prior approval from the Office of the Secretary,” the order stated.

“Further, the concerned school heads shall directly report and defer to the Office of the Secretary on matters pertaining to the daily operations of the subject public schools,” the order read.

The DepEd order also said that the Philippine National Police shall "ensure the strict implementation" of the order.

The 14 schools that will be temporarily under the DepEd Office of the Secretary are the following:

• Makati Science High School
• Comembo Elementary School
• Rizal Elementary School
• Pembo Elementary School
• Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino High School
• Tibagan High School
• Fort Bonifacio Elementary School
• Pitogo Elementary School
• Pitogo High School
• Cembo Elementary School
• East Rembo Elementary School
• West Rembo Elementary School
• South Cembo Elementary School.

In a statement, the Taguig city government welcomed the DepEd order and the initiative of creating a transition committee without a “writ of execution” from the High Court.

“With DepEd order 023 series of 2023, which specifically lists the collation of “transition documents” as a priority, we hope to finally receive the data that we had been requesting from Makati that would allow Taguig to extend assistance to those affected more effectively,” the Taguig city government said.

“We also welcome Mayor Abby Binay’s statement that she and her office will work “wholeheartedly with the transition team” where the issues related to the transfer of jurisdiction from Makati to Taguig can be discussed and resolved without need for re-litigation,” it added.