SC issues TRO vs ‘anti-Filipino’ CHEd memo in K-12 program

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the removal of Filipino and Panitikan (Philippine Literature) as core subjects in tertiary education as part of the implementation of the Kindergarten to 12 years (K-12) program.

In an en banc resolution, the court granted the petition that National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, university professors, party-list legislators and students filed last week to stop the implementation by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) of its Memorandum No. 20, scoring it as “anti-Filipino.”

Court spokesman Theodore Te told reporters on Wednesday the TRO was “effective immediately and continuing until further orders.”

The court also ordered government officials, including President Aquino and CHEd Chair Patricia Licuanan, “to comment on the petition within a nonextendible period of 10 days from notice.”

Petitioners filed the certiorari suit questioning the K-12 program, as laid down by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, and the CHEd provision that emanated from this legislation, citing its violations of the Constitution.

The basic education reform program adds two years to the 10-year basic education cycle, seeking to improve the quality of high-school graduates who are ready for either college or employment upon graduation from secondary school.

In particular, the petitioners scored how the program undermined nationalism and cultural awareness as values promoted in Philippine education.

They also cited how the CHEd memo would lead to the layoff of teachers handling these subjects—an estimated 78,000 in colleges across the country.

The assailed memo “prescribed a new General Education Curriculum,” compacting this set of required courses to 36 units. As a result, the memo removed Filipino and Panitikan as core subjects.

In their plea, the petitioners also cited the lack of consultation before the CHEd order was enforced.

Petitioners include professors from the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University and Party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Fernando Hicap (Anakpawis) and Terry Ridon (Kabataan).

The petition was the second filed against the K-12 program.