AMSTRADA P.

TINTE
Unit Earner

REACTION PAPER
VALUES EDUCATION

“TULFO’S VERDICT ON THE TEACHER WHO WAS ASKED TO REVOKE HER LICENSE
AS A PUNISHMENT”

Another recent episode of Raffy Tulfo in Action has gone viral last November. In this episode,
the grandmother and parents of an elementary school pupil reached out to Raffy Tulfo to complain
about alleged child abuse committed by a teacher named Mrs. Melita Limuco who has been a public
school teacher for 29 years. According to the complainants, the teacher allegedly subjected the child to
corporal punishment and public humiliation on different occasions. Many netizens have expressed their
sentiments over the issue, which are largely sympathetic to the teacher.

Tulfo reaped the rage of netizens and castigated as he pressured a teacher, who was accused of
humiliating a student. The teacher was seemingly subjected to trial by publicity and the production team
had set aside due process and was demanded to willingly have her license revoked. Others even posted
about similar experiences they had while in school and claimed to have learned from or enjoyed such
experiences. Some used the occasion to highlight the sad state of the justice system in the Philippines
while branding the whole spectacle as “Tulfo justice".

Of course, there is a proper forum to discuss and resolve issues between teachers and students,
as how journalist Raffy Tulfo pressured a teacher to quit her job. She does not deserve this public
humiliation and ridicule or to lose her job and license to teach…our teachers are special parents of the
students while they are under their supervision, instruction, or custody and as a special parent, the
teacher’s authority includes the duty to discipline the students.

Matters like this are governed by law, policies, and procedures which are accordingly complied
with. These laws and policies oblige the Department of Education not to divulge details of the
investigation. In issues such as these, it shall take care and protect both the learner and teacher through
due process which is already existing at all levels of governance. It also assured the public that the case is
being handled by both DepEd regional and division offices through proper procedures.

Schools are second home to learners, while teachers are the second parents. We entrust our
children to the institution and teachers. This is the reason why educational institutions act “in loco
parentis” (in the place of a parent). Teachers and administrators take on some functions and
responsibilities of the parents when children are in school. This reinforces the lesson the African proverb
“It takes a village to raise a child” wishes to convey. In other words, it is not the sole responsibility of
the parents to cultivate the child to become a good citizen, but the community’s responsibility. Simply
put, there is a great deal of work to do if discipline is expected to be learned in schools. The work,
however, is not the teachers’ burden alone to bear.