September 30, 2005 · Posted in: In the News
NGOs back DepEd undersecretary
THE Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) has declared its support for Education Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz and called on civil servants to "stand for what is legal and right."
Malacanang last Friday announced Luz’s relief without giving a reason. It is widely believed, though, that he was sacked for refusing to honor three postdated checks totaling P15 month the Palace had issued for Zambales Rep. Antonio Diaz’s scholarship program.
The Palace has said it would transfer Luz, a career executive service officer (CESO) who enjoys security of tenure, to another position.
The CODE-NGO lauded various DepEd projects implemented by Luz, including the "Textbook Count."
"His integrity and competence is unassailable. It is civil servants like him that still gives us hope that government can work for the good ofthe people," it said.
The full text of the statement:
NGOs Declare Support for DepEd Usec. Luz; We Need More People Like Him in Government
We in the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) declare our support for Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz. He has performed remarkably well as DepEd undersecretary, implementing various projects such as the "Textbook Count" that have significantly increased the transparency, integrity and efficiency of the department. His integrity and competence is unassailable. These have helped him mobilize various civil society organizations in support of
laudable DepEd projects like the "Textbook Count". It is civil servants like him that still gives us hope that government can work for the good of the people.In fact, even Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who announced Luz’s dismissal last Friday, could not give any reason for the President’s decision to terminate the services of Usec. Luz. Sec. Ermita, and later Presidential Spokesperson Ignacio Bunye, could only explain that it was the President’s prerogative to hire or fire her appointees.
However, Civil Service Commission Chairperson Karina Constantino-David and Career Executive Service Board Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza have already clarified that Luz cannot simply be dismissed without cause because he is protected under civil service laws, being a career executive service
officer (CESO).Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the President could dismiss (or "transfer") Usec. Luz at her pleasure, what is her action saying? Usec. Luz has not done anything wrong. In fact, he has been an outstanding undersecretary. Dismissing or transferring him from his post is a signal that this administration does not recognize and value integrity, good governance and competence.
Even Usec. Luz’s refusal to accept three post-dated checks from the President’s Social Fund worth P15 Million, which, some say, is the cause for his dismissal, is a mark that he consistently follows government rules. Government policies do not allow post-dated checks. These checks were released to Zambales Cong. Antonio Diaz last August 21, 2005, days before the voting on the impeachment complaint against President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo. The checks named the DepEd as payee, but a note at the back of the check and Cong. Diaz’s letter to DepEd that was sent with the checks clearly said that the funds were for the Congressman’s supposed scholarship program.We declare our support for Usec. Luz. We hope other courageous members of our civil service will likewise always stand for what is legal and right. We hope our civil servants will not allow anybody to destroy the integrity of the civil service.
9 Responses to NGOs back DepEd undersecretary
tongue in, anew
October 1st, 2005 at 4:27 am
Alas, a word from civil society. Hooray!
What do you do then if Luz is “bodily removed”?
katipuneroako
October 1st, 2005 at 9:54 am
USec Luz is one of the few good men in government. Let us save him from the clutches of an oppressive government. He should not be removed if the Palace cannot provide good reasons to do so. The whim of the President or her henchmen do not hold weight against the good work USec Luz has done so far!
schumey
October 2nd, 2005 at 12:25 pm
I agree with you. These eligible civil servants do not serve at the pleasure of the president. These people serve at the pleasure of the people who give their hardearned taxes to pay for their salaries. These people should be shielded from politics and the unfair and illegal practice of the president and her henchmen who only want to hold on to power.
ed b. umali
October 2nd, 2005 at 1:20 pm
Going through this latest in-depth study of pcij, one can easily surmised that we, the 84 millions Filipinos and 46 million Filipino voters has been had by GMA from the very beginning. GMA has a well prepared script that is followed to the letter by everyone in her cast. Everyone has a role and performed those roles perfectly.
Now, I am ashamed for having voted for her during the last elections. All the while, I truly believed that she epitomizes my idea of a “new breed” of politician. My GOD, I WAS WRONG!!!. For this, I’d like to say…”I Am SORRY!”. Not for having a lapsed in judgement but rather, for not being able to see through the person name Gloria M. Arroyo. She was more of the ARTIST than Fernando Poe Jr. If she will really stand fast despite all the evidences showing her culpability, lets just take revenge during the next elections by campaigning against everyone attached to her and her administration. Also, we should not let go of the fact that she should be accountable for everything that she did during her administration against the Filipino people. She should go to JAIL!!!
Gurong Bayan
October 4th, 2005 at 4:19 pm
By all means, we must condemn this brazen display of arrogancefrom Malacanang (by the way, they did the same thing to Haydee Yorac). But Usec Luz should also look back and see what he has done to some career employees in DepED the past years that he is around. How he managed posting and assignment of career employees from Division Chief up. He should be thankful, at least he got a courtesy of being informed of GMAs arrogance. In several cases, DepED career employees below Usec Luz did not get the same courtesy. He simply assign, allowed them to be assigned to nowhere (floating), or simply turn his blind eye to unprofessionalism in DepED Central.
By all means we should condemn arrogance and unprofessionalism, not just those coming from Malacanang but also from the ground floor of Rizal II Building in DepED.
tonyboy
October 8th, 2005 at 1:24 am
tama ka gurong bayan sa mahigit 20 taong pagtratrabaho ko sa decs ngyon lang ako nakakita ng opisyal na kapit na kapit sa posisyon, na-media na kapit pa rin. totoo maraming nadisplaced na career employees to si luz kasi ang tingin niya sa mga tao sa decs e mga corrupt at ang pakiramdam niya siya lang ang makakasalba dito. kaya nga kung umasta yan e mas secretary pa sa talagang secretary. aba’y dun sa isang seminar sinabi niyang decs can run without a secretary hindi ba arrogante. kasi yan hindi yan kumikilala sa awtoridad, kaya nga nung sinisibak siya sabi niya i am staying put kasi dapat daw si GMA ang pipirma ng knyang papers. kaya hindi nakakapagtaka kung bakit nagkaganoon ang nangyari sa tseke, ang tanong ko bakit hindi niya ikinunsulta sa oic ang tungkol sa tseke? bakit siya nagdesisyong mag-isa? tapos kinabukasan nag painterview siya sa media para ano? ano ba ang motibo? magmalinis? kilala mo ang sarili mo mike luz hindi ka malinis na opisyal alam mo yan sa sarili mo kaya tama na ang pagmamalinis. konsensiya mo ang tutugis sayo. ang ipinagtataka ko bakit gustung-gusto niya sa decs? ano ba ang meron dito? ang alam ko lang naman decs ang may pinakamalaking budget at kung ikaw maging usec for finance aba’y nuknukang napaka makapangyarihan mo, biro mo ang P120B pesos budget e hind maibabahagi ng walang basbas mo? ika nga what are we in power for? tapos lahat ng gusto mong ipasok na mga empleyado ay puede mong gawin dahil ikaw ang appointing authority ng prerogative selection board hindi ba? tapos may rationalization pa e di me bakante na naman ipapasok mo na namn ang kung sinong hindi ceso tapos kung makipagtalo ka kay ermita e akala mo sumusunod ka sa CSC ? sus tama ka na, pareng mike magbago ka na, tama na ang kaplastikan.
kayong mga NGO kung gusto nyo si mike aba di kunin ninyo nang makita nyo kung ano talagang ugali meron yan. alam mo ako’y matagal na sa decs kahit paano nasisipat ko kung talagang sinsero ang opisyal. sayang sa aim pa naman siya galing, sayang at nag-aral pa namn siya sa canada ba yon?
kyo namang pcij bakit hindi nyo iniimbestigahang itong si Luz? kasi kaibigan ninyo? akala ko ba e balanse kayo mag report? nariyan ang COA silipin ninyo ang files. me nakita pa ako dito sa ombudsman silipini ninyo? ano ang nangyari sa inyo, aba’y may kinikilingan pala kayo e…
ay naku sa tanda kung ito ako’y tuluyan ng nawawalan ng pagasa sa decs kada palit ng administrasyon pare-pareho lang ang nangyayari.. nakakasawa na…
bukolitos
October 12th, 2005 at 5:26 am
Tony Boy, kung meron kayong reklamo laban kay Usec. Luz di daanin niyo sa tamang proseso. Wala ba kayong proseso para maiaire ang iyong mga grievances. Ang issue ngayon ay iyong ginawa ni Luz na huwag i-honor ang mga post dated checks dahil ayon sa kaniya ay labag sa accounting principles ng gobyerno. If that’s true then he should be commended for that simple act. Kung meron siyang kamalian na ginawa di dapat din siyang managot. Pero kung siya ay tatangalin ng wala siyang ginagawang mali ay hindi magandang halimbawa sa mga career officers of the government. I’m sure pag sa iyo nangyari iyon, you will feel the same.
tonyboy
October 12th, 2005 at 8:15 pm
yes bukolitos, nakafile na ang mga kaso ang problema hindi pinapansin ng media dahil sa hindi sikat ang nagfile ng kaso. yang si luz sabi ng sabi na it should be in accordance with accounting rules and regulations e siya nga mismo ang dami niyang unliquidated advances tanong mo ang COA hindi siya consistent sa mga sinasabi niya dapat kung mgamamalinis ka mula sa pagliliquidate ng simple advances na parte ng accounting rules and regulations ay sinusunod mo para credible ka naman ano? bistahin kung ilang demand letters and nasa opisina niya!!
Gurong Bayan
October 13th, 2005 at 1:44 pm
When Usec Luz is confronted with issues on postings, reassignments, and promotion of career employees without valid reason, i.e. no explanation and overstaying OICs, he would say, “no one owns an item. Higher authority have the prerogative to reassign people”. And I agree with him hundred and one percent. What I cant agree with his rule is, it applies to all but to himself.
Mr Mike Luz I would also say, “no one owns an item. Higher authority have the prerogative to reassign people”. GMA, your higher authority, have the same distorted and unprofessional reasons as yours. You simply dont have the franchise to oppression.
What makes GMA’s decision to “reassign Mr. Luz” more deplorable and apalling is that, it makes Mike Luz looks good. Again, I would say, he should be thankful, at least he got the courtesy of being informed of his oppression.
But then of course, like his “higher authority”, Mr. Luz have all the right to demand to be part of this oppressive regime. Mike Luz have all the qualifications to be part of GMA’s shameful government. They complement each other. At least GMA wont micromanage DepED. GMA can trust Mike Luz to faithfully carry out the same human resource policy she wants in DepED. And for that, Mike Luz is entitled to stay in DepED.
As to the Rep. Diaz checks…..where there any check that reached Rep Diaz?