MAKE IT TOGETHER AS A WHOLE

A REFLECTION ON THE
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF
PHILIPPINE EDUCATION
by: Jerwin L. Patiga
Organizational structure talks about a system which
outlines the direction of a certain activity in order to
achieve a goal. This provides a framework of governance
which varies from autocratic, professional or even
bureaucratic. There is also the establishment of
authority and accountability of the level of
organizations.
For the Department of Education, there are laws and
orders that define its organizational structure. These
are the Republic Act No. 9155 s, 2001 or the
“Governance of Basic Education Act,” Executive Order
No. 366 s, 2004 or “Directing A Strategic Review of the
Operations and Organizations of the Executive Branch
and Providing Options and Incentives for Government
Employees Who May Be Affected by the Rationalization
of the Functions and Agencies of the Executive Branch”
of the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and
the most recent DepEd Order No. 52 s, 2015 or the
“New Organizational Structures of the Central,
Regional, and Schools Division Offices of the
Department of Education.” The decentralization of
governance to the field and making schools and
learning centers the heart of the education system are
covered by the policies and guidelines.
Moreover, DepEd defines and enumerates the
organizational strands and their functions from the
Central Office (CO) to Regional Offices (ROs) to Schools
Division Offices (SDOs) and to schools and learning
centers. There is the so-called hierarchical form of
authority. There is one secretary who advises the
President related matters about education down to school
heads who supervise, administer and manage the heart of
the education system.
The context of the structure provides clear mandates of
each organizational level that the DepEd has. It is better
to understand this in order to know, understand and
properly capacitate stakeholders where to stand in the
matters of providing and giving activities, having issues
and concerns about the learning delivery and support
system and directing the effectiveness of the overall
system of governance.
With all of these, the essence is, DepEd is not a single
manned organization. The hierarchy of authority forms
the clarity of the organizational mandates. For
instance, resolving issues and concerns are from
bottom to top levels of organization but with the
consideration of policies and guidelines set by the
Central Office. As for the public, the direction is from
schools to SDOs to ROs and then to CO. That’s why
there is collaboration and cooperation within each
member and not being alone. It is the togetherness that
makes the whole organization.