Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (File photo from his Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) once again faced questions as to why it opposes proposals to allow foreign ownership of basic education institutions, with Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez reminding the agency that they are an alter ego of the President.
Rodriguez during his time to interpellate DepEd at the hearings on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7 on Tuesday reiterated that jurisprudence dictates that the Secretary of Education is an alter ego of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who supports moves to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Part of RBH No. 7 which is being discussed by the House committee of the whole are proposed amendments that would allow Congress — through the insertion of the phrase “unless otherwise provided for” — to determine the allowable rate of foreign ownership in the basic education sector.
“You have a position paper that says you object to the lifting of this. I always thought that the Secretary of Education is the alter ego of the President. Can you confirm, Mr. Romero? Is it not that all cabinet members are alter egos of the President?” Rodriguez asked Education Undersecretary Omar Alexander Romero, who responded in the affirmative.
“Of course yes, by a litany of jurisprudence from the Supreme Court. (But) the President already announced — and I was there when he made the first announcement, at the Philconsa (Philippine Constitution Association) 70th anniversary. And the President clearly said we have to open our country to more investments, but only — and that is why we support him — only economic amendments,” he added.
Rodriguez, head of the House committee on constitutional amendments, issued this reminder to DepEd a day after Romero presented the department’s position on the proposed amendments.
According to Romero, amending Article XIV, Section 4 of the Constitution can affect DepEd’s mandate, because it may result in the expansion of foreign entities’ control.
Romero also noted that basic education cannot be left at the hands of foreigners because it is a critical foundational period for children.
DepEd is currently headed by Vice President Sara Duterte, who was President Marcos’ running mate in the 2022 national elections.
READ: PH curriculum must be exclusively implemented by Filipinos, says DepEd
Rodriguez was not the first to call out DepEd for its views on the proposed amendments. On Monday, minutes after Romero gave DepEd’s stand on the matter, Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin asked DepEd representatives about how many of their officials have received education from foreign schools.
When DepEd failed to give the data, Garin turned to Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Prospero de Vera III, who said that taking tertiary education overseas is being encouraged to sharpen officials’ minds.
With this, the Iloilo lawmaker asked why DepEd and other stakeholders still oppose amendments to the 1987 Constitution’s provisions on basic education ownership.
Garin also said it would not look good if officials are allowed to go abroad for foreign education, but ordinary Filipinos are not allowed to seek such opportunities.
READ: Garin blasts DepEd for opposing foreign ownership of schools in PH
Aside from this, Garin asked DepEd if it would make Filipinos children less of a Filipino if they get exposed to other methods of teaching, particularly those from foreign companies.
Under RBH No. 7, Section 4 of Article XIV (Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture, and Sports) will be amended and feature the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in the provision that bars foreign ownership of basic educational institutions except in a case where 60 percent of the total capital belongs to Filipino citizens.
READ: House leaders file RBH 7, mirrors Senate version of economic amendments
With the simple phrasing cedes control of foreign ownership rates to Congress, several personalities and groups have raised concerns that such a move centralizes too much power in the legislature.
Retired chief justice Reynato Puno has urged the House to refrain from using the phrase in amending the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions, saying that the items in question should be repealed instead.