PMPI, together with the community of Semirara, strongly opposes any move to unjustly transfer teachers, demolish existing school facilities, particularly at Sabang II Elementary School – Main, and relocate them to a new annex school without proper consultation, as these actions directly threaten children’s right to accessible and quality education.

At the center of these issues are the questionable basis for the unjust order to transfer the teachers from the main to the annex school, and declaring the classrooms unsafe, thus the transfer of Sabang II Elementary School Main to the new annex. While a certification was reportedly issued by the Municipal Engineer’s Office, a response from a teacher clarified that no actual on-site inspection was conducted by a Municipal Engineer from Sabang and the barangay captain in 2023. In fact, no verifiable proof or documentation of such an inspection has been presented, casting doubt on the validity and credibility of the certification being used to justify the alleged demolition plan.

We also underscore that parents and guardians have formally expressed that the proposed relocation site is not appropriate for students, and that the transfer of classes was carried out against the will of the parents and the community. These actions reflect a lack of meaningful consultation and disregard for the community and, most especially, for the learners directly affected by the said relocation to the new annex of the elementary school.

As reflected in the formal complaint of the community, the school is already facing challenges with the lack of government support for the school. It is further aggravated by the absence of a dedicated Kindergarten teacher and limited support for learners when the DepEd failed to assign a new teacher in the main branch of the school after appointing the previous teachers in the new annex. To justify all these, it was being falsely stated in January 2026 by the Schools Division Superintendent in its response letter to a community representative that the main site has been abandoned already, as the DepEd doesn’t possess ownership of the land where the main branch is situated. The relocation of existing classrooms will only worsen these conditions and further disrupt students’ access to education.

Classrooms are not just buildings, and teachers are not merely guardians in classrooms. They are essential to a child’s growth, safety, and development. The order to transfer to another site without clear, immediate, and adequate replacement plans risks displacing students and placing additional burden on families and educators. We emphasize that any action affecting school facilities must be guided by transparency, proper consultation, and a firm commitment to uphold the welfare of learners.

Community schools should become the norm. When schools are located close to the community, education becomes more accessible, safer, and more inclusive for everyone. And when education is woven into the community’s daily life, it helps build a culture of learning, support, and shared responsibility for children’s future.

PMPI supports the call of the people of Semirara on concerned authorities to halt any plan of demolition activities affecting school facilities, conduct a proper, independent structural assessment with actual on-site inspection, review the unjust transfer of teachers, respect the voices of parents, teachers, and the community in the decision-making process, and protect the uninterrupted education of all students.

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PMPI

Quezon Avenue, Unit 204, Pacific Century Tower 1472-1476, Brgy. South Triangle,

1103, Quezon City

secretariat@pmpi.org.ph
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