DepEd orders principal to explain graduation day commotion over attire

This screengrab from a viral video shows a member of the Colonel Ruperto Abellon National School staff (right) in Laua-an, Antique approaching the school principal (left) after the latter asked students to take off their togas and instead wear only their school uniforms and sablays at their graduation ceremony on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 (Screengrab from @engr.johnrey/TikTok)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Antique ordered the principal of a Laua-an town school to explain a commotion at its graduation rites over the prescribed attire.

The scene was caught on videos now circulating on social media.

“The Schools Division of Antique is saddened by the incident that happened [at the] Colonel Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS), Guisijan, Laua-an, Antique on April 15, 2025, during the conduct of the end-of-school-year (EOSY) rites,” it said in a statement Wednesday.

“This office has already organized an investigation team and ordered the school head and other concerned officials to submit an incident report with an appropriate intervention plan,” the Antique schools division office further said.

In one of the videos, the principal told the graduating students to take off their togas since it was supposedly not the prescribed attire for the ceremony.

She told them to wear instead only their school uniform and their “sablay” (handwoven sash).

Further, she directed the class advisers to list down the names of students who violated the supposed dress code.

“We are training our learners to be disciplined and obedient to authority… I don’t want our learners to be bastos (disrespectful),” the principal was heard saying in the video.

A school staff member was seen approaching the principal on stage, possibly to confront her, but was whisked away by colleagues.

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“While waiting for the incident reports from all concerned parties, we assure the public that this office shall exhaust all means to ensure that affected learners will not be deprived of their rights and privileges as graduates, such as receiving their diplomas, certificates and other credentials,” DepEd Antique said.

“Moreover, appropriate interventions shall be implemented as soon as possible to ensure that learners’ mental and psychological needs shall be appropriately addressed,” it added.

READ: Toga out, ‘sablay’ in? DepEd official tackles graduation fashion

DepEd Order No. 9 series of 2023 updated the guidelines for the conduct of end-of-school-year rites for the K to 12 basic education program.

The order includes a provision that states: “Casual or formal wear, or school uniform, shall remain as the recommended moving up or graduation attire. Toga or ‘sablay’ can be worn as an additional garb.”