Teachers and unions across Manila expressed their support for the Manila Public School Teachers Association (MPSTA) following the threat to dissolve their 78-year-old association. The acting head of the Schools Division Office-Manila of the Department of Education (DepEd) issued the threat after the group’s appeal and letter requesting the release of the delayed monthly allowance from the local government of Manila. The association has around 11,000 members.

According to MPSTA, Officer-in-charge Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Nerissa Lomeda summoned the leaders of faculty clubs to a meeting on November 27. This was the superintendent’s fifth summons. Lomeda openly disregarded MPSTA as the distinct and legitimate federation of faculty clubs in Manila and as the sole and exclusive negotiating agent (SENA) of all public school teachers in the division.

In the November 27 meeting, Lomeda threatened to withhold financial assistance from all teachers and employees until a new teachers’ association in Manila was established. A day prior, Lomeda circulated a text message among teachers maligning the MPSTA.

At the meeting, teachers expressed outrage at Lomeda’s scheme. The official continued her retaliatory and coercive actions, including prohibiting Manila teachers from joining the protest day of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)-Philippines on November 28. Lomeda also ordered the profiling of MPSTA members on December 2.

According to MPSTA, Lomeda must be reminded that her abusive, retaliatory, manipulative, and reckless acts violate the rights to organize, to engage in collective bargaining and negotiation, and peaceful concerted activities. “She will be held fully accountable for unfair labor practice, union busting, grave abuse of authority, and all other violations arising from her actions,” the group stated.

Amid these attacks, MPSTA remains determined to resolutely stand and continue resisting all attempts to weaken, divide, or silence them. “We stand firm in upholding and defending the economic and democratic rights of all Manila teachers,” MPSTA declared.

The ACT National Capital Region (NCR) Union and all its unions from various divisions expressed their support for MPSTA. ACT unions from different regions of the country also joined them in solidarity.

“We are prepared to exhaust all legal remedies, including filing cases before the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Labor and Employment, to protect teachers against retaliation and threats,” the ACT NCR Union said.