DepEd Memorandum 037, s. 2025
Creation of the 2025 Department of Education Election Task Force in Connection with the National and Local Elections on May 12, 2025
APR 22 2025
DepEd MEMORANDUM
No. 037, s. 2025
CREATION OF THE 2025 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ELECTION TASK FORCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS ON MAY 12, 2025
To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Public and Private Secondary School Heads
All Others Concerned
1. Pursuant to Article IX-C, Section 2(4) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is granted the authority to deputize law enforcement agencies and government instrumentalities, including the Department of Education (DepEd), to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections. DepEd's mandated role in electoral participation is further reinforced under Republic Act No. 10756 or the Election Service Reform Act (ESRA), which designates public school teachers as members of the Electoral Board and provides compensation and legal protection for personnel rendering election-related services.
2. Under the General Appropriations Act of the fiscal year 2025, a dedicated budget item has been allocated for the DepEd Election Task Force (ETF) to support its operational! and logistical requirements, ensuring efficient coordination, monitoring, and assistance for DepEd personnel engaged in election service.
3. In compliance with the foregoing mandates, the ETF is established to facilitate the Department's participation in the 2025 National and Local Elections. The ETF shall serve as the institutional mechanism for real-time monitoring, assistance, and legal support to teaching and nonteaching personnel performing election duties. The ETF shall coordinate with COMELEC, the Public Attorney's Office, law enforcement agencies, and other relevant institutions to safeguard the rights and welfare of DepEd personnel deputized for election service.
4. The ETF shall be operational at three levels: the Central Office (CO), regional offices (ROs), and schools division offices (SDOs), each maintaining an ETF Operations Center responsible for monitoring and responding to election-related concerns. The official structure of the ETF is outlined in Enclosure No. 1.
a. At the CO, the ETF shall consist of the Steering Committee, Technical Working Group (TWG), and Support Teams. The Steering Committee shall provide policy direction and overall decision-making and shall be composed of high-level DepEd officials. The TWG shall serve as the implementing body responsible for policy execution, interagency coordination, and operational oversight. The Support Teams shall be responsible for specific real-time monitoring, legal support, incident response, logistics, and helpdesk operations. The full composition of the Steering Committee and the TWG is outlined in Enclosure No. 2, while the specific responsibilities of the ETF Support Teams are enumerated in Enclosure No. 3.
b. At the ROs and SDOs, each ETF shall be headed by a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, with designated members supporting election-related operations. The RO ETF shall include a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and 10 members, while the SDO ETF shall include a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and eight members. These teams shall work in close coordination with the CO ETF and the Election Command Center to ensure seamless implementation and issue resolution.
5. To ensure the effective execution of the 2025 ETF and facilitate the efficient delivery of its mandate during the 2025 National and Local Elections, the following guidelines shall be strictly observed:
a. The DepEd Election Command Center, located at TechZone, Makati City, shall be the primary hub for real-time monitoring, coordination, and incident response. The Command Center shall be fully operational from May 11, 2025 (1:00 p.m.) to May 13, 2025 (5:00 p.m.) to oversee ETF operations across all CO, ROs, and SDOs.
b. Each ETF Steering Committee at the CO, RO, and SDO levels shall be headed by a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson, who shall be responsible for policy implementation, compliance oversight, and election-related operational execution. The ETF Chairperson at each governance level shall approve the final composition of their respective ETF Operations Center. All ETF members shall be officially designated through the required Designation Form (Enclosure No. 4), to be submitted and approved under additional guidelines issued by the ETF Chairperson.
c. The TWG shall implement the policies set by the Steering Committee and coordinate legal, operational, and logistical efforts at all levels (Enclosure No. 2). It shall be led by the Director of the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development (BHROD). The TWG members shall also be part of the ETF Support Teams during the operations of the DepEd Election Command Center.
d. The ETF Support Teams shall be responsible for real-time monitoring, helpdesk operations, logistics, data collection, and legal assistance (Enclosure No. 3).
e. The TWG shall designate the support teams' leads and co-leads. The designations are open to all plantillapersonnel holding a position of division chief or higher who may or may not be members of the TWG. The TWG shall endorse its proposed designations to the Steering Committee for approval.
6. All ETF members shall be entitled to honoraria, subject to the availability of funds and in compliance with applicable issuances of the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management.
a. ETF members holding plantilla positions shall have the option to receive either honoraria or claim overtime pay or compensatory time off (CTO). Likewise, Contract of Service personnel assigned to the ETF may opt to receive either honoraria or overtime pay.
b. An ETF member who opts to receive honoraria shall no longer be entitled to claim overtime pay or CTO.
c. The grant of honoraria, overtime pay, or CTO shall be subject to the approval of the ETF Chairperson at the respective governance level and shall comply with existing budgetary, accounting, procurement, and auditing rules and regulations.
7. DepEd officials and personnel are strictly prohibited from engaging in electioneering, campaign activities, or any partisan political conduct, except for the act of voting. This restriction is in full compliance with existing Civil Service laws and is intended to maintain the neutrality and integrity of DepEd's election involvement.
8. For further inquiries, the Office of the Undersecretary for Operations, located on the 16th Floor of the TechZone Building, Makati City, may be contacted via email at ouops@deped.gov.ph.
9. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Memorandum is directed.
By Authority of the Secretary
(SGD) ATTY. FATIMA LIPP D. PANONTONGAN
Undersecretary and Chief of Staff
Encls.:
As stated
References:
DepEd Memorandum No. 029, s. 2025
To be indicated in the Perpetual Index
under the following subjects:
AUTHORITY
BUREAUS AND OFFICES
COMMAND CENTER
ELECTIONS
EMPLOYEES
OFFICIALS
PROHIBITION
TEACHERS
(Enclosure to No. 2 DepEd Memorandum No. 037, s. 2025)
STRUCTURE OF THE ETF IN CENTRAL, REGIONAL, AND SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICES
(Enclosure to No. 2 DepEd Memorandum No. 037, s. 2025)
COMPOSITION OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP AT THE CE.NTRAL OFFICE-COMMAND CENTER
STEERING COMMITTEE COMPOSITION | |
Chairperson | Usec. Malcolm Garma |
Vice-Chairperson | Usec. Wilfredo E. Cabral |
Members: | |
Usec. Filemonray L. Javier | Legal and Legislative Affairs |
Usec. Mel John I. Verzosa | Administration |
Usec. Gerard L. Chan | Procurement |
OIC USec. Edson Byron K. Sy | Finance |
ASec. Marcelino G. Veloso III | Information and Communications Technology Service |
ASec. Carmela C. Oracion | National Educators Academy of the Philippines |
OIC ASec. Jocelyn D.R. Andaya | Operations |
TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP | ||
NAME | OFFICE | CONTACT DETAILS |
MEMBERS | ||
MARIO M. BERMUDEZ | Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development | 8633-7237 |
MARGARITA CONSOLACION C. BALLESTEROS | Office of the Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development | 8638-8638 |
JAN KEVIN M. RIVERA | Public Affairs Service | 8633-2120 |
JAYSON A. LACBAYAN | Bureau of Learning Resources- Cebu Office | (032)255-3633 to 35 |
RUNVI V. MANGUERRA | Teacher Education Council | 8638-6172 |
JASON V. MERCENE | Public Affairs Service | 8631-6033 |
ATTY. FERNANDO ANGELES Ill | Legal and Legislative Affairs | 8637-4611 / 8633-8925 |
ATTY. ANGELICA CASTILLO | Legal and Legislative Affairs | 8637-4611 / 8633-8925 |
ATTY. JEROME OBUSAN | Teacher Education Council | 8638-6172 |
ATTY. JOSEPHINE IVANE V. CABILDO | Administration | 8638-1780 |
DANPAUL SANTOS | Operations | 8631-8492 |
VERNICE LORRAINE QUINTANA | Operations | 8632-1371 |
MARIE ROYSE AYTONA | Procurement | 8635-3761 |
KATHLEEN JOYCE RAMIREZ | Procurement | 8635-3761 |
JUN RUSELL AQUINO | Strategic Management | 8633-1940 |
ROYCE VERGARA | Finance | 8633-7231 |
ADEL ABAYA | Education Programs Management Office | 8637-4211 |
ERWIN LOZANO | Office of the Secretary | 8633-7208 / 8633-7228 |
ATTY. JOHVIE VALE.NTON | Office of the Secretary | 8633-7208 8636-4876 |
ATTY. HANA ESCUETA | Legislative Liaison Office | 8637-6206 |
RAYMUND TRIBIANA | Information and Communications Technology Service | 8633-7256 |
(Enclosure to No. 3 DepEd Memorandum No. 037, s. 2025)
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF ETF SUPPORT TEAMS
Support Team | Composition (Slots) | Roles and Responsibilities | Key Functions During Election Day |
Real-Time Monitoring and Coordination Team) | · Lead (1) · Co-lead (1) · Operations: (16) – Regional Focals · HROD (3) Major Island Cluster focal | · Organizes ETF at CO, RO, and SDO levels. · Tracks nationwide election-related activities. · Ensures immediate response to field concerns. · Monitors polling station security and logistics | · Maintains real-time documentation of ETF activities · Monitors election processes in coordination with RO and SDO ETF teams. · Identifies issues requiring escalation and ensures prompt resolution. · Updates the Election Command Center with field reports. |
Legal and Incident Response Support Team | · Lead (1) · Co-lead (1) · Legal (IO) · HROD (1) | · Coordinates with PAO for legal assistance. · Provides real-time legal support to teachers and personnel · Handles and resolves election-related complaints. | · Respond to legal concerns of teachers and DepEd personnel. · Assists with documentation and reporting of legal incidents. · Ensures teachers' legal rights and protections are upheld |
Hotline and Helpdesk Operations Team | · Lead (1) · Co-Lead (1) · PAS (3) · HROD (3} · NEAP (3) | · Operates 24/7 communication lines for ETF members and DepEd personnel. · Guides election-related inquiries. · Assists with technical, procedural, and operational concerns | · Receives and logs queries and concerns from field personnel. · Provide immediate responses and troubleshooting guidance. · Escalates urgent issues to appropriate ETF teams. |
Data Collection and Post-Election Reporting Team (10) | · Lead (1) · Co-Lead (1) · ICTS (5) · OUHROD (1) · HROD (2) | · Consolidates real-time reports from RO and SDO ETF teams. · Gathers legal cases, security concerns, and operational challenges. · Prepares the post-election assessment report. · Prepares and consolidates reports and assessments | · Ensures all election-day incidents and concerns are properly documented. · Compiles reports for ETF leadership and COMELEC coordination. · Provides recommendations for future election-related improvements. · Oversees preparation of postelection reports |
Logistics Team | · Lead (1) · Co-Lead (1) · Finance (3) · HROD (4) · AMD (2) · GSD (2) · Procurement (2) | · Ensures proper personnel deployment and documentation · Ensures smooth ETF deployment logistics. · Manages the distribution of materials, uniforms, and supplies. · Tracks financial disbursements related to ETF operations. | · Ensures ETF members are deployed and accounted for. · Coordinates the distribution of supplies and operational needs. · Ensures ETF field personnel receive necessary resources. · Monitors inventory and addresses logistical shortages. |
(Enclosure to No. 4 DepEd Memorandum No. 037, s. 2025)
DESIGNATION FORM FOR DEPED ETF-SUPPORT TEAMS
The [Bureau / Service / Office] hereby designates the following personnel to serve in the ETF operations in connection to the 2025 Midterm Election:
[BUREAU / SERVICE / OFFICE] | |||||
Name | Office | Position | ETF Team Assignment | DepEd Email Address | Mobile Number |
Recommended by:
________________________
________________________
Approved by:
________________________
________________________
A full copy of DepEd Memorandum No. 037, s. 2025 below:
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