THE SAMAHAN ng Progresibong Kabataan plans to file charges against Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera III for allegedly “abandoning the agency’s mandate on multiple occasions.”

The group cited De Vera’s failure to issue a memorandum to ensure accessibility of education to the marginalized sections, the lack of guidelines on the conduct of online classes as among the CHED chief’s alleged transgressions.

They also hit De Vera for leaving the  decision to suspend classes and postpone deadlines to individual school administrations.

“What CHED officials must realize is that distance learning can no longer be covered by their present guidelines which are already outdated. With online classes, suspension of university operations can no longer be territorial in scope. One may be enrolled at a school in Metro Manila but also residing in Legazpi City which lies in the traditional route of typhoons,” SPARK spokesman John Lazaro said.

Student councils and campus groups have called for academic break, class suspension and postponement of academic deadlines after several typhoons lashed the country.

SPARK on Thursday appealed for a weeklong nationwide suspension of classes to allow those affected by the typhoon to recover.

“First came Typhoon Quinta which wrecked Bicol,” Lazaro said. “Then came Typhoons Rolly, Siony, Tonyo, and Ulysses which further set back recovery efforts in already battered regions. Significantly, eleven of the country’s seventeen regions have been affected with floods, power outages, and intermittent to no internet connection.”

The group said that besides the lack of guidelines pertaining to the suspension of classes, CHED had consistently missed out on its mandate since the beginning of the Covid19 outbreak.

“De Vera has left us no choice but to finally take legal action in order to attain justice for the millions he has consistently abandoned. Stonewalling our legitimate pleas is not public service. We deserve more. See you in court, Mister De Vera,” Lazaro said.

Sought for a reaction, the CHED chief said, “I have no comment since I don’t know what case/s they will file.”