THE PHILIPPINE Normal University Student Council has moved onto the social media to denounce  Commission on Higher Education Chair Prof. Prospero ‘Popoy’ De Vera III for his alleged elitist remarks after a heated argument with students  on Facebook.

This came after the PNU Debate Society’s now deleted quotes of students and professors made rounds on Facebook, Twitter and Insta expressing their views regarding the university’s scheduled class opening on August 27, 2020.

The student council has described  De Vera’s censure of a  student’s statement as an ‘elitist’ because the CHED boss reportedly focused more on the grammatical aspects and not on the message.

The debate organization has quoted a certain Mark Angelo Diwa, a library and Information student, for his stand on the delayed opening of classes: “There’s nothing painful to delay the academic year [’til] next year… what is the essence of classes if there are no students left to cater because it is either they are sick or dead…Live now, study later should be the theme and consciousness of the authorities…”

De Vera reportedly belittled Diwa’s post by saying that he did not understand what the student’s message was. The CHED chief, instead, reportedly advised the student to use Tagalog and even went further by calling the attention of the PNU president to interfere.

“Tinagalog na lang sana. Hindi ko maintindihan ang gustong sabihin. Attention PNU President Bert Jazmin Tuga,” said De Vera’s Facebook post..

Responding to his alleged ‘heartless’ remark, the CHED chairman said that he sets a high standard for his students as he has been a professor for decades and does not intend to change his ways.

“I’m an academician and I impose high standards for my students. They are being educated by the taxpayers’ money. It is the taxpayers’ right to demand that they do well in school,” De Vera added.

The PNU student council, however, has viewed De Vera’s Facebook remarks as an attack on the student’s grammatical weakness since De Vera has reportedly given more attention to the syntax of the statement rather than the intended message.

“Malinaw na tahasang pagtuligsa sa kakayahang intelektwal ni Ginoong Diwa ang ginawa ni Chair Popoy de Vera at may bahid ito ng matinding elitismo dahil mas pinagtuunan niya ng pansin ang balarila ng isang tao imbes na bigyang-suri ang nilalaman at punto ng pahayag,” said the student council.

The debate organization has since issued an apology for the parties affected and promised that they’ll be more attentive next time.

“However, we do regret that one of the opinions posted on the page has trended for the wrong reasons. We would like to remind everyone that the views and opinions posted do not represent the entire PNU and the PNU Debate Society,” said the debate organization.

The PNU student council also lambasted the CHED chair’s behavior describing it as way beyond what a highest ranking education official ought to behave.

“Mula sa nagkakaisang estudyante at organisasyon ng PNU, mariin naming kinokondena ang naging asal ng chairperson ng Commision on Higher Education dahil isa itong pagpapakita na hindi siya karapat-dapat sa kanyang kinauupuan,” the student council stressed.