ILOILO City – The embattled director of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Region 6 will soon be leaving Western Visayas.
However, Dr. Ramir Uytico clarified that his departure is not related to the calls for his ouster.
He explained that his transfer to another area is part of DepEd’s routine reshuffling of regional directors who have completed their three-year tenure in a given assignment.
Despite this, Uytico admitted to being taken aback by the calls for his removal from DepEd-6.
“Human as I am, I was shocked,” he told Panay News.
He was responding to a recent statement by Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas, who expressed a personal opinion that “it would be better if the director is reassigned to another place or region so we can get someone else who will be more effective in addressing the educational needs of the children in the region.”
Treñas’ statement followed issues involving Uytico, particularly the director’s filing of a libel complaint against members of the broadcast media in Iloilo City critical of him.
In an interview, Uytico confirmed that he is scheduled to transfer to a new area of assignment anytime from now. However, he emphasized that this move is not due to any force or calls for his removal as DepEd-6 director but because it is mandated by DepEd Order No. 016, Series of 2019.
Once regional directors complete three years of service, they should be transferred to another area.
“I have been here in the region for three years, but even without this order (referring to DepEd Order No. 016), we knew since last year, around August 2024, that we were scheduled to be transferred,” Uytico said.
Uytico explained that the tenure of service for schools division superintendents, assistant schools division superintendents, assistant regional directors, and regional directors used to be five years, but this was shortened to three years under DepEd Order No. 016.
Uytico said he actually completed his three years as regional director of DepEd-6 on Feb. 8, 2024.
“Anytime from now, I am slated to be assigned in Region 7, which is my home region. So, who wouldn’t be excited to return to their own place?” said Uytico.
But he admitted being surprised by Mayor Treñas’ statement.
“Para sa akin wala naman akong problema when it comes to my performance as regional director,” Uytico said, and neither with his relationship with the city mayor.
Among others, he cited the establishment of the first 30 DepEd-run farm schools, with Iloilo City having one farm school, the Tiu Cho Teg- Ana Ros Foundation Integrated Farm School in Barangay Lanit, Jaro district.
Uytico said Treñas was very supportive of this, even donating a multi-storey building.
“There is a robust partnership among the regional (DepEd) office, city schools division office, and the local government unit. That’s why I was shocked. There is a partnership between the region and division office. If Mayor Treñas wasn’t supportive, he wouldn’t have donated a building. In other words, he is convinced of my leadership, he is convinced of my guidance in the schools division of Iloilo City because he also supported it,” Uytico said.
Uytico also mentioned that the farm school, being the first in the country, attracted many other regions to Iloilo City for benchmarking.
“That means my heart beats for Iloilo City, and DepEd is also contributory. Many visitors come to the Tiu Cho Teg- Ana Ros Foundation Integrated Farm School,” said Uytico.
The director also admitted being surprised by a statement from Iloilo City’s Cong. Julienne Baronda, which implied during a radio interview that he should be removed as regional director. He described his working relationship with the congresswoman as good.
Uytico said DepEd-6 supported more than 100 scholars of Baronda under the School Heads Academy, proof of their good working relationship and friendship.
There is no reason for Baronda to be upset with him, he stressed.
“I’m hurt, honestly. But this does not prevent me from further strengthening the bond, the support coming from Cong. Jam-jam because we have scholars,” stressed Uytico.
“I respect the opinion of Mayor Treñas and the opinion also of Cong. Jam-Jam but again human as I am, I am hurt,” he added.
The director admitted being disturbed emotionally by the recent turn of events but he was proud of DepEd-6’s accomplishments under his watch.
Among these, he said, were the Learning Continuity Plan during the COVID-19 pandemic; Literacy and Numeracy Roadmap; uniform/ simultaneous release of teachers’ salary; reconciliation of DepEd-6 employees’ records which had been a problem for years; Quality Management System; and School Heads Academy.
“Yon ang mga ginawa natin (but) I’m not boasting,” said Uytico./PN
