PUBLIC school teachers are seeking clarification on whether they need to submit the Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form following the suspension of the Results-Based Performance Management System and Performance-Based Incentive System based on President Marcos’ Executive Order No. 61.

“Our teachers are receiving various messages or screenshots from sources within the DepEd, but there is no official information,” Benjo Basas, the group’s national chairperson, said.

EO 61 immediately suspends the RPMS and PBIS, designating 2023 as a transition year for the Performance-Based Bonus. Despite this and numerous speculations, the Department of Education has not released official information, as the 30-day uninterrupted vacation period ends on June 30.

To clear up the confusion in the field, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition, through Basas, has formally requested outgoing DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte to urgently clarify the suspension of the RPMS.

The confusion stems from conflicting interpretations of EO 61. While the order suspends the RPMS and PBIS, an alleged statement from DepEd’s Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development, dated June 13, 2024, suggests that the RPMS remains active, with only the PBIS and PBB suspended.

“We would like to express our collective concern over the conflicting messages received by our teachers in the field. The lack of clear guidance from DepEd is causing significant distress and uncertainty among our teachers and school heads, who are currently unsure how to proceed,” Basas said in a letter addressed to Duterte dated June 21, 2024.

The TDC said EO 61 is a measure to alleviate administrative burdens and streamline performance evaluation processes for government employees. The executive order suspends Administrative Order No. 25, s. 2011, and Executive Order No. 80, s. 2012, as amended, which established the RPMS and PBIS. The TDC views this as long-awaited validation of their concerns over the complexity and unfairness of the RPMS.

In its appeal, the TDC has urged DepEd to abolish the RPMS completely and return to a simpler, fairer performance evaluation system akin to the former Performance Appraisal System for Teachers. They also called for teacher representation in discussions led by the soon-to-be-formed Technical Working Group, emphasizing the need for transparent consultations to ensure fair policy formulation.