Division News

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Quezon City Successfully Concludes Education Summit 2025

By: SDOQC, gntelan & ppdepatillo

The Schools Division Office of Quezon City successfully conducted the Education Summit 2025 on August 11-12, 2025, at the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (M.I.C.E.) Center, Quezon City Hall Complex. The two-day convergence of the most important stakeholders in the education of the city’s close to half-a-million learners was made possible through the Division Office’s vibrant partnership with the Local Government of Quezon City, and the efficient planning and execution of the School Governance and Operations Division of SDOQC.The morning of Day 1, August 11, 2025, saw the attendance of approximately 500 student leaders from both public and secondary schools of the City. In the afternoon of the same day, it was the turn of the School Principals and Administrators of Private Schools to attend the Summit. The other two groups of stakeholders, the parents and the school heads of the public schools along with the chair of the barangay committees on education, participated in the Summit in the morning and in the afternoon of the second day respectively.
    
The highlight of all four segments of the summit was the launching of the SDOQC and LGUQC’s campaign against bullying and discrimination, in response to the rising cases of bullying and other forms of violence among the young people of Quezon City. Dubbed BAD ‘YAN, the launching was graced by the presence of no less than the City Mayor herself,  Hon. Josefina “Joy” Belmonte.

The launching ceremony featured the first showing of a video from a series of advocacy films to be distributed to all schools in Quezon City; a talk from Schools Division Superintendent Ms. Carleen S. Sedilla on practical tips to apply the tagline of Magsalita, Makiaalam, Makiisa in the schools; the Pledge of Commitment against bullying and discrimination vowed by all participants; and the signing of the commitment boards by BAD ‘YAN champions.

Another special feature in all the four sessions was the presentation of the Kabataang QC Jingle, the winning composition of students of Krus na Ligas High School, brought to life with the dance interpretation of students from San Francisco High School. The catchy tune provided a spot of lightheartedness to the occasion.

SDS Sedilla took the opportunity to present to all stakeholders the five-point agenda of DepEd Secretary Edgardo “Sonny” Angara: an enabling learning environment, the welfare of teachers, the well-being of learners, efficient learning delivery in all forms, and a future-ready workforce. She further explained the outcomes to be targeted by the Department  from 2025-2035. These outcomes are:
Outcome 1: High performing teachers delivering quality education
Outcome 2: Improved learning environment that safeguards students' physical and mental well-being
Outcome 3: Enhanced governance structures to ensure efficient and supportive education systems
Outcome 4: Improved education quality through upgraded curriculum, modernized assessment, and digitally enabled schools
Outcome 5: Empowered graduates fit for employment, entrepreneurship or higher education

The SDS then continued to explain that these 5 agenda on the national level are operationalized at the Regional level through NCR's priority areas - summed up through the acronym KICES, which stand for Keep school-aged children in school, Improve foundational skills of learners, Capacitate school heads and teachers, Ensure a child-friendly environment, and Strengthen governance. To end, the SDS emphasized that these goals can only be realized if and only if the whole of Quezon City becomes a Learning Community.

SDS also took the opportunity to talk about the suspension of classes, clarifying the process and appealing to   to refrain from bashing and to encourage their children to value class days. She ended with an appeal to everyone to be part of the continuing efforts to provide quality education to the children of QC.

Aside from the common speakers and topics enjoyed by all participants, each sector also had a special resource speaker that catered to their group’s particular needs: the student leaders were blessed and challenged to become better leaders by Ma. Cassandra P. Austria, Former President, National Federation of Supreme Secondary Learner Government and now a student at the University of the Philippines Manila. She gave a talk on the five essentials that any leader should always have: Reason, Direction, Companionship, Rest, and a Bag full of patience, empathy, integrity, resilience, compromise.

The private school administrators, meanwhile, were provided with practical advice on the processes and requirements for the acquisition of new permits to operate or the renewal of certificates of recognition by  Dr. Rowena S. Ongtangco, Education Porgram Supervisor, DepEd NCR. They were also given some very important information by a panel composed of officials from different units from City Hall, namely: Dr. Mulano from the Quezon City Health Department, Engr. Isagani R. Versoza Jr., City Building Official, Atty. Sherry R. Gonzalvo, City Assessor, and Ma. Margarita S. Mejia, DPA, Head, BPLD. City Administrator Mr. Michael Alimurung also spoke briefly, leaving the participants with a challenge to work with the City Government in ensuring good governance and transparency in transactions.

The parents, school heads, and chairs of barangay committees on education were blessed with an emotive and yet grounded talk on values development by Dr. Leah S. Corpuz, CEO and Lead Trainer of LASC Learning Solutions. She identified FEAR as the greatest hindrance to any child’s success, asserting that the fear carried by parents and teachers are felt by the learners. She also said that fear usually manifests as anger, the antidote to both of which is LOVE.

She then went on to give some insightful suggestions on how to develop the four core values of the Department of Education – Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Maka-kalikasan, at Maka-bansa – in our children. She inspired the audience to dream of having a Quezon City brand of citizens, easily identifiable by their respectful and kind behavior. She emphasized that his is possible only if there is an alignment of values between school and home, and if all stakeholders – the whole village – would  work together to educate the children.

All in all, the Education Summit 2025 was true to its goal of bringing together the major stakeholders in education in Quezon City, ensuring that all are on one track in the Division’s continuing journey towards providing quality education for all the City’s learners. 
    
    
 

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President Marcos Jr. Celebrates Filipino Resilience on 126th Independence Day

By: SDOQC/gnatelan

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the strength and hope of the Filipino spirit as the Philippines celebrated its 126th Independence Day on June 12. In his speech, he emphasized the true essence of freedom and the hardworking nature of Filipinos amidst daily challenges. "The theme may be generic, but one cannot deny the relativity that comes from being a Filipino and witnessing the legitimate fight of the Filipino spirit in everyone that acts fairly in their daily lives,” Marcos said. 

He paid tribute to hardworking farmers, dedicated teachers, and brave soldiers, commemorating the historic declaration of independence in Kawit, Cavite, 126 years ago. “A century and a quarter ago, we freed ourselves from the bonds of oppression, and the fire of nationalism still glows unabated in each one of us. Today, we proudly continue to hold in our hands the freedom won at such a great price by our ancestors,” he added. 

The celebration began with a flag-raising ceremony at Luneta Park, led by President Marcos and attended by prominent personalities. Their presence underscored the collective effort needed to achieve this significant milestone. Notable attendees were Dr. Ederlina D. Balena, Dr. Leonilo C. Angeles, Dr. Isabelle S. Sibayan and Dr. Carleen S. Sedilla from the Schools Division Office of Quezon City, and Director Joyce Andaya from the Department of Education National Capital Region (DepEd NCR). Their presence signifies a united commitment to preserving and building upon the vision of the nation’s Founding Fathers.

The ceremonies included a wreath-laying to honor the heroes who fought for Philippine independence. This year’s celebration not only commemorated June 12 but also highlighted the contributions of everyday heroes in various fields who continue to strive for independence in their daily lives. President Marcos’s speech and the presence of honored guests underscored that Independence Day is not just a historical event but also a living testament to our enduring struggle for freedom. It is a day to reflect on the ongoing fight for liberty and rights in modern society, celebrating the invincible spirit of the Filipino people.

 

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AFP's FIRST WOMAN SPOKESPERSON INSPIRES SDOQC PERSONNEL

By: SDOQC/ppdepatillo

Col. Francel Margareth Padilla Taborlupa, the first female spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, dellivered an inspirational message at the Schools Division Office Quezon City's launching of its 2024 National Women's Month celebration during the flag raising ceremony on March 4, 2024. Her message encouraged the audience, the women especially, to break ceilings, be persons of value, and mentors, no matter how challenging it is to be in a male-dominated world.

Col. Taborlupa, one of the ASEAN's top cyber security development practitioner, described herself as a simple provincial girl who was not a stranger to male-dominated realms. Firstly, she was the only girl among 4 siblings. She also started her tertiary education at the University of Sto. Tomas in the College of Engineering, another field dominated by men. Her older brother, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent Engr. Marc Voltaire A. Padilla, then pushed her into taking the qualifying examinations for entry into the prestigious Philippine Military Academy - still another bastion of the males.

Her experiences have helped shape her into the woman she is now, a foremost expert in cyber security, a pioneer in the 4th domain of operations in the AFP - the cyber realm. She has placed the Philippines on the global map of cyber security through her project named Cyber for Peace Initiative, which among other things enables the gathering of data in the field for accurate input for research in various fields, thereby contributing to learning and nation building.

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SDOQC TOP MANAGEMENT MOTIVATES SCHOOL HEADS TO IMPLEMENT WHOLISTIC PREPARATIONS FOR UPCOMING NAT

By: SDOQC/pdpepatillo

In response to the results of the National Achievement Test (NAT) for SY 2022-2023, Schools Division Superintendent Ms. Carleen S. Sedilla, CESO V, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent for Secondary Schools Mr. Fredie V. Avendano, CESE, and Asst. Schools Division Superintendent for Elementary Schools, Engr. Marc Voltaire A. Padilla, CESE, gave insightful and motivational suggestions to school heads to aid in their preparations for the upcoming NAT for Grades 6 (for administration to Grade 7 learners) and 12 during the SDOQC Emergency Management Committee meeting at Ponciano  Bernardo Elementary School on February 22, 2024.

For the short term, top management suggested that the schools ensure the psychological preparedness of both learners and teachers. To do this, the whole school community must be led to view the NAT as a collective responsibility, a burden to be carried by all. Learners' mindset specially, should be addressed so that they become aware of the importance of doing their best in the NAT, not only for extrinsic reward such as grades, but for the intrinsic value of doing one's best for the sake of their alma mater. It was also suggested that physical factors be looked into, such as the conditions in the testing venues and provision of water and snacks to test takers when needed.

Another recommendation was the conduct of a mock test, to ensure that learners are familiar with the use of bubble sheets and proper shading to indicate their answers, among other things. The Curriculum Implementation Division is taking the lead in this effort, releasing Division Memorandum No. 219, s, 2024 to guide the schools through the tasks that need to be done to ensure the conduct of the mock test on March 6, 2024.

For the long term, SDS Cedilla suggested several steps to improve performance, namely: focus on teaching, learning, and assessment; ensure deliverables; intensify monitoring, supervision, mentoring and coaching; assess and capacitate teachers; focus on foundational skills; track student progrress (e.g. through looping); simplify research processes on root cause/gap anaylysis of poor performance; and make all stakeholders responsible and accountable.

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DEPED NCR RD ANDAYA GRACES SDOQC'S EMERGENCY MANCOM

By: SDOQC/ppdepatillo

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SDOQC RECEIVES THE CSC PRIME-HRM BRONZE AWARD

By: SDOQC/PPD

Civil Service Committee Director Hans R. Alcantara conferred the Bronze Award (Maturity Level 2) of the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) to the Schools Division Office Quezon City during simple rites at the Special Management Committee meeting on January 17, 2024. Director Alcantara drove all the way to the Traveler's Hotel in SBMA, Subic Bay, Olongapo, to personally hand over the Bronze Award to Schools Division Superintendent Ms. Carleen S. Sedilla, CESO V, during the Special ManCom that had been scheduled to fit into the then-ongoing SOB Finalization and Budget Monitoring Workshop for elementary and secondary school principals at the said venue. Among the benefits stated in the CSC resolution read out by Director Alcantara is that SDOQC now has the authority to take final action on appointments.

In her response, Ms. Sedilla recognized the role of teamwork across the Division in reaching this milestone in the agency's history. She also gave credit to the previous Superintendents who had begun and continued the long haul towards this achievement: Dr. Elizabeth E. Quesada, Dr. Natividad P. Bayubay, and Dr. Jenilyn Rose B. Corpuz. 

An agency with HRM Processes at Maturity Level 2 practices a Process-Defined HRM. This means that the agency already has a set of defined and documented SOPs established but still needing improvement. Furthermore, the agency is characterized iby purposeful decision-making. There is also some automated system but little integration of data.

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SDOQC Conducts Workshop on SOB Finalization for School Heads

By: SDO QC

The finalization of the School Operations Budget (SOB) and Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) for Fiscal Year 2024  takes center stage as the Schools Division of Quezon City's principals attend the 3-day SOB Finalization and Budget Monitoring Workshop on January 15-17, 2024 for elementary schools and January 17-19, 2024 for high schools at the Travellers' Hotel, Subic Bay, Zambales. The said workshop seeks to ensure that all school heads and the financial staff of big and mega schools are cognizant of the strategic direction of the Division and are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills relative to budgetting, the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) review process, the SOB review process, funds monitoring process, and internal audit utilization and recording. 

A highlight of the week's proceedings is the SPECIAL MANCOM to be held on the morning of January 17, where Schools Division Superintendent Carleen S. Sedilla, CESO V, is slated to present the SDO's Over-All Direction for 2024 during the SDS Hour. General reminders from the Asst. Schools Division Superintendents as well as the Chiefs of the functional divisions will also be heard by the joint gathering of the elementary and secondary school heads. The PRIME-HRM Ceremonial Awarding shall also be held during the luncheon program on the same day.

The roster of speakers and facilitators for the three-day event are: Ms. Carleen S. Sedilla, SDS; Mr. Fredie V. Avendano, ASDS; Dr. Brian E. Ilan, ASDS; Dr. Ma. Teresa A. Namoro, CES-SGOD; Dr. Heidee F. Ferrer, CES-CID; Dr. Ana Rosa R. Rabanal, PSDS; Dr. Ederlina D. Balena, EPS; Mr. Joven S. Noynay, Accountant III; Ms. Cecilia M. Diaz, Budget Officer; Ms. Grethel T. Ledesma, City Government Department Head I; Ms. Marivic S. Napucao, Cashier; Ms. Angelyn Malabanan, SEPS, HRD; and Dr. Edgar Allan P. Oliver, SEPS, Planning and Research.

The output expected after the three-day workshop is each school's final Annual Implementation Plan and School Operations Budget for FY 2024.