The Department of Education (DepEd) will launch the National Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) for School Year (SY) 2020-2021 on May 25, 2020, 8:00 a.m. at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office (CO), Pasig City. The OBE is DepEd’s annual initiative to engage agencies, organizations, and other stakeholders in preparation for the opening of the SY. This will run from May 25 to June 5, 2020.
The OBE is part of the Department’s efforts to ensure that learners are properly enrolled and able to attend school on the first day of classes. The OBE aims to address problems, queries and other concerns commonly encountered by the public at the start of the school year.
Table of Contents
Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) for School Year (SY) 2020-2021 Components
This year, OBE has the following components:
a. Convergence. The Department shall coordinate with the following government agencies involved in school opening matters to assemble the annual OBE Inter-Agency Task Force (OBE-IATF):
i. Department of Energy (DOE);
ii. Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG);
iii. Department of Health (DOH);
iv. Department of National Defense (DND);
v. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH);
vi. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);
vii. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI);
viii. Department of Transportation (DOTr);
ix. Manila Electric Company (MERALCO);
x. Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS);
xi. Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA);
xii. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA);
xiii. Philippine National Police (PNP);
xiv. National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC); and
xv. Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).
b. Command Conference. A Command Conference among the DepEd officials, partner agencies from the public and private sectors, media, and other stakeholders will be held at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd CO on May 25, 2020.
c. Communication. DepEd shall provide the public with important information through press releases, media interviews, website posting, updates on the official DepEd Facebook and Twitter accounts, and other available media.
d. Client Assistance. An OBE Public Assistance Command Center (PACC) shall be set up at the central, regional, and schools division offices through its Public Affairs Unit (PAU).
i. Functions of the OBE-PACC
The OBE-PACC shall serve as an information and complaints processing and routing mechanism. It shall perform the following functions:
(1) Receive, process, and respond to simple queries, information requests, and complaints from the general public, including those forwarded by other DepEd offices;
(2) Assist in the dissemination and clarification of DepEd policies, programs, projects, and processes, particularly those relevant to the opening of classes;
(3) Correctly identify and coordinate with the concerned DepEd offices on complex concerns that will require the specific offices’ appropriate action; and
(4) Monitor, document, and submit reports on all issues and concerns received by the OBE-PACC, including the action taken.
ii. Services of the OBE-PACC
Each OBE-PACC shall ensure that the following are available to the public for the duration of OBE:
(1) Hotlines;
(2) Email, social media (Facebook, Messenger, Twitter), and Text Messaging Service;
(3) Walk-in Assistance; and
(4) Legal Assistance (if applicable).
iii. Composition of OBE-PACC at the CO
The DepEd CO OBE-PACC shall be set up on May 23, 2020, Saturday at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd CO. The following offices/units are enjoined to actively participate and assign representative(s):
(1) Office of the Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones
(a) Internal Audit Service
(b) International Cooperation Office
(c) Public Affairs Service
(2) Office of the Undersecretary Jesus L.R. Mateo
(a) Planning Service
(b) Field Operations (jointly with OlC-Undersecretary Revsee A. Escobedo)
(c) Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development
(i) Human Resource Development Division
(ii) Organization Effectiveness Division
(iii) School Effectiveness Division
(3) Office of the Undersecretary Diosdado M. San Antonio
(4) Office of Assistant Secretary Alma C. Torio
(a) Bureau of Curriculum Development
(b) Bureau of Learning Delivery
(c) Bureau of Education Assessment
(d) Bureau of Learning Resources
(e) Teacher Education Council Secretariat
(f) Literacy Coordinating Council Secretariat
(g) Indigenous Peoples Education Office
(5) Office of OlC-Undersecretary Revsee A. Escobedo
(a) Field Operations (jointly with Undersecretary Jesus L.R. Mateo)
(b) Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development
(i) Personnel Division
(ii) Employee Welfare Division
(6) Office of Undersecretary Annalyn M. Sevilla
(7) Office of OIC-Assistant Secretary Ramon Fiel G. Abcede
(a) Finance Service
(b) Education Program Delivery Unit
(8) Office of Undersecretary Alain Del B. Pascua
(9) Office of Assistant Secretary Salvador C. Malana III
(a) Administrative Service
(b) Information and Communications Technology Service
(c) Bureau and Learner Support Services
(d) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service
(10) Office of Undersecretary Josephine G. Maribojoc
(11) Office of OIC-Assistant Secretary Rhoan G.L. Orebia
(a) Legal Service
(b) Sites Titling Office
(12) Office of Undersecretary Tonisito M.C. Umali
(a) Legislative Liaison Office
(b) External Partnerships Service
(c) Project Management Service
(13) Office of Assistant Secretary G.H. S. Ambat
(a) Alternative Learning System Program and Task Force
(14) Office of Assistant Secretary Salvador Malana III
(a) Procurement Management Service
The OBE implementation shall be under the general supervision of the Office of the Secretary with Undersecretary and Chief of Staff, Nepomuceno A. Malaluan, and Undersecretary Jesus L.R. Mateo as co-chairs and the Public Affairs Service Director June Arvin C. Gudoy, as vice-chair of the Oplan Balik Eskwela 2020.
All expenses incurred during this activity shall be charged to General Administrative Support Services (GASS) Funds, and the payment for the services of the concerned personnel during the OBE, in addition to their regular workload, shall be charged to OSEC Funds for CO personnel, and to local funds for regional and schools division personnel, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
All DepEd personnel are enjoined to support this activity to ensure the smooth opening of classes.
For more information, contact:
The Office of the Secretary-Public Affairs Service
Department of Education Central Office
DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City
Telephone Nos.: (02) 8636-1663; (02) 8633-1942
Telefax No.: (02) 8634-0222; (02) 8638-8641
Mobile Phone No.: 0919-456-0027; 0995-921-8461
Email Addresses: action@deped.gov.ph; beverly.berame@deped.gov.ph
DepEd Memorandum No. 14, s. 2020
READ: 2020 Korea-Philippines Teacher Exchange Programme (KPTEP)