Antique principal removed from post over graduation attire row

A screengrab from a viral video shows a Colonel Ruperto Abellon National School staff member (right) approaching the principal (left), who asked students to remove their togas and wear only their uniforms and sablays during graduation on April 15, 2025, in Laua-an, Antique. (Screengrab from @engr.johnrey/TikTok)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has relieved a school principal following a graduation attire commotion at a Laua-an town school in Antique.

Palace Press Office official Claire Castro announced the removal of Venus Divina Nietes, principal of Col. Ruperto Abellon National School, during a press briefing Friday in Malacañang. She said the move was in line with a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“Dahil na rin po sa naging direktiba po ng Pangulo, agaran pong kumilos ang ating secretary, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, at ang sinasabi pong guro ay tinanggal na po bilang principal sa nasabing eskuwelahan,” Castro said.

(Because of the directive of our president, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara swiftly moved, and the said teacher was relieved from her post as principal of the school.)

The incident, which went viral online, showed the principal instructing graduating students to remove their toga because it was allegedly not the prescribed attire for the ceremony. Students were told to wear only their school uniform and the corresponding “sablay” (handwoven sash).

DepEd Order No. 9, series of 2023, states that while casual or formal wear or the school uniform remains the recommended graduation or moving-up attire, “toga or ‘sablay’ can be worn as an additional garb.”

Castro clarified that DepEd will continue to monitor the behavior of Nietes.

“Tinanggal lang po siya sa pagiging principal. Yung license naman po niya ay hindi naman manggagaling sa pag-uutos ng pangulo o ng DepEd secretary,” Castro said.

(She was just removed as principal. The directive to revoke her license will not come from the president or the DepEd secretary.)

Castro added that any possible charges Nietes may face would depend on Angara’s instructions.

According to the Presidential Communications Office, Angara requested an exemption from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to lift the ban on the transfer of public officials and employees during the election period, in relation to Nietes’ removal.

The Comelec approved the request on April 24.