Progressive teacher-leaders commiserated with the family and relatives of Agnes Buenaflor, 59 years old, a teacher at Pedro E. Diaz High School in Muntinlupa City who died on January 7. Leaders of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)-Philippines and its affiliated unions visited Buenaflor’s wake in Dasmariñas City, Cavite on January 9.

Buenaflor hit her head after fainting while conducting a “classroom observation” exercise. She was rushed to a hospital but later passed away. ACT Muntinlupa Union called Buenaflor’s death “a tragedy that shook the entire education sector.”

The union said that the incident once again exposed the heavy burden and danger faced by teachers inside classrooms. “Despite the stated aim of classroom observation to improve teaching, teachers have long considered it as a source of intense stress, pressure, and anxiety,” the union stated.

Classroom observation is an evaluation conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) to assess teachers’ teaching competence. It is implemented under DepEd Memorandum No. 89, s. 2025, which laid out periodic walkthroughs and extended classroom observations.

According to the union, Buenaflor’s long experience as a teacher clearly showed that she should no longer have been subjected to such a “repressive evaluation.” The union urged DepEd to immediately suspend classroom observations and instead establish a humane and teacher-centered support system.

ACT Philippines said that aside from classroom observation, there are other standards and requirements that measure teachers’ performance, which further burden them, including the Result-based Management System (RPMS).

These are used to determine teachers’ benefits and promotions. “ACT asserts that these requirements are excessive, inhumane, and drain teachers’ time and energy that should primarily go toward teaching,” the group said.

“In solidarity with grieving fellow teachers and staff, we collectively call for decent and livable wages, adequate benefits, and sufficient funding for education, health, and social services that will uphold the rights and well-being of teachers, staff, and students,” ACT Philippines declared.

ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio also extended his condolences and visited Buenaflor’s wake. “We express our sympathies to Ms. Buenaflor’s family and colleagues. Her dedication to teaching must be honored and remembered,” he said. The congressman urged DepEd to promptly review its policies, saying that Buenaflor’s ordeal should raise the agency’s concern.

Meanwhile, DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Fatima Panontongan visited the wake alongside ACT and ACT Teachers Party-list leaders. The teacher-leaders held a dialogue with the DepEd official and presented their demands. The teachers raised their major concerns about classroom observation.

Among their appeals was to prohibit the use of classroom observation as a basis for teachers’ performance ratings, Performance-Based Bonus, promotions, or other purposes. They also insisted that the process should not be treated as a showing-off and should serve only as a means to provide teachers with technical support.

They further suggested that the observation should last only 10–15 minutes instead of covering the entire class period. They urged the agency to exempt veteran or long-serving teachers from classroom observation and to consider their years of service.

The teacher-leaders reiterated their call to completely abolish classroom observation and overhaul the burdensome teacher evaluation system.