‘Pagtataksil’: Senators question Colegio de San Lorenzo’s abrupt closure
BG PHOTO: Colegio de San Lorenzo Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines —- Senators questioned on Wednesday the management of the Colegio de San Lorenzo (CDSL) in Quezon City about the school’s decision to close on the first day of classes last August 15.
CDSL president Mary Claire Balgan said they only informed the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Department of Education about their closure decision on August 12.
When asked by the Senate committee on higher, technical, and vocational education, CHEd chairman Prospero de Vera III said that it is standard procedure for schools preparing to close to notify their regional officer one year in advance to provide a seamless transition for affected students.
“The difference here, Mr. chair, is they closed after already accepting students and charging them fees,” De Vera said.
When asked by the panel’s chairman, Senator Francis Escudero, Balgan said that except for 20 students who haven’t claimed their checks yet, the institution had already refunded all 1,400 affected students.
Article continues after this advertisement“We have refunded, all cheques are ready now. Out of the 1,400 students waiting to be refunded, we have given all except for two cheques for basic ed and 18 cheques. They are ready, they are just waiting to be claimed,” she said.
Article continues after this advertisement“Refunded na po lahat. Nagaantay na lang po kami ng 20 students to claim their cheques but their cheques have been readied,” Balgan stressed.
(All payments were reimbursed. Twenty recipients have yet to claim their checks, but their cheques have been readied.)
Nonetheless, Senator Raffy Tulfo questioned the school’s management on why it continued to take money from students despite actively seeking a buyer and making plans to shut down.
Balgan said that efforts were made to sell the school to interested parties but that negotiations with prospective purchasers and investors ultimately failed.
“We really did try to save the school..,” she said.
“I know you did try to save the school pero ang sakin po Madam, naimpormahan ho ba ang mga estudyante nung inyo pong balak na ibenta yung eskwelahan bagamat di natuloy…Were they informed properly, yung mga estudyante, yung mga professor?” Tulfo asked.
Balgan admitted that the problems had been kept quiet out of concern for the welfare of the students and faculty.
“Kapag po pinaalam namin sa kanila yung mga problema namin lalo pang kakaunti yung mga estudyante at baka po mag alisan yung mga teacher and would make the school weaker and have less chances for survival,” she said.
(If word gets out about our difficulties, fewer kids will enroll and teachers may decide to quit, weakening the school’s foundation and decreasing its prospects of survival.)
But this did not sit well with Tulfo.
“Sorry po pagtataksil po yun sa inyo pong mga empleyado, yung inyong mga professor na kayo po’y nagtatago sa kanila. Hindi nyo po sinasabi ang inyong mga balak, yung inyo pong tinatahak na direksyon para sa inyong eskwelahan,” the senator said.
(I’m sorry, but keeping that secret from your staff and your faculty members is a breach of trust on your part. You are not speaking about your own plans; rather, you are discussing the course of action you are taking with regard to your school.)
“If you value your professors, if you value those people working for you dapat po sinasabi, hindi po tinatago sa kanila,” he added.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate committee on basic education, also questioned the decision of the school to announce its closure on the opening day itself.
“It doesn’t make sense that the school only advised their students on the day itself,” he said.
“Kung ako man yung magulang at yung estudyante, pag pasok ko wala ng eskwelahan, I will panic because saan ako mag aaral unang una. Pangalawa, made-delay ako dun sa aking degree…”
(If I were both the parent and the child and I showed up to the school to find that it was closed, I would panic, not knowing where to start my education. I can’t finish college as quickly as I’d like to for another reason.)
Gatchalian then urged CHEd to address this policy gap either through legislation or memorandum circular to prevent similar incidents in the future.
