DSWD spox says Tulfo’s remark on teachers taken out of context

Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo. Inquirer file photo / Niño Jesus
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MANILA, Philippines — Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo’s remarks about teachers have been taken out of context, the agency’s spokesperson said on Friday.

Department of Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said Tulfo made the remark only because he did not want to burden the teachers with extra workloads.

Tulfo said the teachers might be accused of “giving favors” to their relatives in case they would be tapped in the distribution of educational cash assistance.

“Una po the [secretary’s statement] was na-taken out of context po doon po sa pahayag niya na ‘yon. Ang nais lang naman pong sabihin ng ating mabuting kalihim … na ayaw na niyang kaladkarin po sa karagadang trabaho at karagdagang workload ang atin pong mga guro, kaya niya nasabi, gusto na niyang ilayo sila, huwag nang isama dito sa pay-out po sa ating mga estudyante,” Lopez said in a press briefing.

(First, the secretary’s statement was taken out of context. The excellent secretary only wanted to say that he did not want to drag teachers into giving more workloads. That’s why he said they should not be tapped for the payout distribution.)

Lopez said Tulfo’s statement does not mean he accuses teachers of favoritism.

“Pero it doesn’t mean naman po na may paratang siyang binibigay para sa ating mga kababayan na teacher about sa favoritism, hindi po iyon ang nais sabihin ng ating kalihim,” Lopez said.

(But it does not mean that he is accusing our teachers of favoritism, that’s not what he meant.)

Kinikilala po niya ang sakripisyo ng ating mga guro kaya nga po ang kanyang nais ay sana hindi na sila maisama dito sa karagdagang trabaho na ito, o pagsama sa mga payouts po ng educational assistance natin,” he added.

(He recognizes the sacrifice of our teachers that’s why he does not want to increase their workload by making them assist in the distribution of educational assistance.)

In separate statements, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) slammed Tulfo for his statements.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte defended public school teachers on Thursday, saying they “have always been models of professionalism.”

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