JEDDAH, 13 November 2002 — A parent leader claiming to head the “silent majority” at the troubled International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) said yesterday he was breaking his silence to join the group that had seized power.
“At this point, I believe we should give the Hernandez group a chance to fulfill their promise to clean up the school,” said Rogel P. Enriquez, who is president of the Grade 4 level Parent-Teachers Group (PTG).
Enriquez, in a press statement and in a phone interview, said he and his followers made the decision after sizing up the three contending groups — the Board of Trustees chaired by Efren Rodriguez, the “new” trustees led by Fidel Hernandez, and the Third Force collectively led by several PTG presidents.
According to Enriquez, while the Rodriguez group had “accomplished some tangible projects in IPSJ,” it stinks with the litany of complaints leveled against it, including mismanagement, financial mess, lack of transparency, overstaying their term, not delivering the basic requirements of children, and ignoring the sentiment of the members.
He said the Third Force or Third Bloc, while calling for an election, has lost its credibility by “misleading” parents into supporting a class boycott which it called “in connivance” with the Rodriguez group.
He also said the Third Force had been shown to lack transparency, citing the charges made by Hernandez that the group’s leaders have not accounted for the money they have allegedly collected in their raffle draws.
As for the Hernandez group, he said he believes that with the support of the Philippine Consulate, it could “deliver the basic requirements of the children,” provide good management, as well as investigate the alleged anomalies caused by Rodriguez Board.
Enriquez said he himself was for an election but he now goes along with the Hernandez group’s contention that it should now be set aside while the “new BOT” will clean up the mess.
“Let’s set it aside first because it’s not realistic anymore,” he said, adding that none of the Rodriguez and Hernandez groups would give way. But he said Rodriguez group should yield if they are really sincere about protecting the interest of the school.
“After all they have overstayed their term. Let’s give the Hernandez group a chance to deliver, para sa katahimikan ng iskwelahan at ng mga bata (for the sake of the school and the children),” he said.
Moreover, he said, the Rodriguez group is nowhere to be found and the Hernandez group is now the de-facto Board.
As for the Third Force, he said its leaders should “stop issuing nonsense” statements because they are also out of touch of the parents’ pulse.”
On the charge that the Hernandez group was not elected in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s rules, Enriquez said: “In my mind, legal or not legal, basta may aksyon (as long as they could get things moving) I think they deserve to be supported.”
Look who’s talking?
Asked for comment, leaders of the Third Force said Enriquez was just being consistent.
“It was that guy who had caused all these confusion within the Parent-Teachers Council. He is the king of the confusion,” said Nilo Lucena, a PTG president of the Grade 3 level.
Before its breakup, the PTC was composed of the presidents of the 11 grade level PTGs, with Hernandez as president.
Lucena said the PTC was a solid group when they led parents on Oct. 11 in an attempt to hold an assembly inside the IPSJ on Gornatah district because of the refusal of the Rodriguez BOT to meet with them.
As reconstructed by Arab News from statements made by the Hernandez group and Third Force members, the parents were not able to assemble because the police came and told them to disperse.
But before they could disperse, Hernandez declared the Rodriguez BOT abolished, after which he was nominated by one parent to become the next BOT chairman. This was then seconded by another parent.
As for what transpired later, the groups have different versions, depending on where they stand.
But within the PTC, according to Lucena and other Third Force leaders, it was Enriquez who moved during their subsequent meeting to relieve Hernandez as PTC president on the ground that he appointed himself as BOT chairman.
“The argument was that Fidel could not be both BOT chairman and PTC president,” explained Lucena.
But what started their breakup was when Enriquez reportedly retracted his own motion, despite its being approved, and insisted that Hernandez be relieved only of his responsibility and duties but not as PTC president. “In other words, ipinasubo kami ni Enriquez. I don’t know if that is the kind of leader they want,” he said.
Fortunately, Lucena said, Enriquez has no followers at all because “he had been a Hernandez follower since then.”
“So what silent majority is he talking about? In the first place there’s no silent majority because all the parents are now talking,” he added.
Lucena said it’s up to the parents to decide which path they should take.
“Let them be the judge. They must have heard what Hernandez and his leaders did on Monday, when they went to the parents room (waiting area of parents) and said in an intimidating manner that those who don’t support them should get out of the school.”
“Those who support Rodriguez, get out because we don’t need you,” Lucena quoted one of Hernandez’s leaders as saying.
A woman appointed by Hernandez as one of her school officials reportedly twisted the arm of a Rodriguez supporter for not toeing their line. He said those who want to push for elections should now speak out and join the Third Force.