WHO’S YOUR DADDY?

The SJABI Hustle

Part 2 of 3 in a Series

In Part 1 you were presented with the facts.  Part 2 is…

The Hustle

It is much easier to hustle someone with deceit than brute force.

“Deception is a cruel act…It often has many players on different stages that corrode the soul.”  -- Donna A. Favors

The New Parish Priest:  Early 2015, comes now Rev. Fr. Ronnie Sotico C. Mora, the new Parish Priest of the Parish of St. Joseph of Barugo, Leyte.  He is now the de facto President of the Board of Trustees of SJABI.  So what does a good President do?  First, to familiarize himself, he asked the School Administrator, Sr. Marylou Quijano, for a copy of the school’s financial statements.  Well, he didn’t get beyond first base.  The good Sister went running to the Archbishop.  Next thing the poor priest knew, he’s no longer the President of the Board of Trustees.

Whooah!!! What happened here?!!  Thrown under the bus!

The Parish Priest is unceremoniously, and unlawfully, sacked as President by the Archbishop.  What happened to the By-Laws?

Misplaced arrogance on the part of the Archbishop of Palo, claiming that he is the President of the Board of Trustees.  By what authority no one knows, except himself and his minions.

The Resolutions:  On 31 October 2015, in a special board meeting, the SJABI Board of Trustees passed two resolutions. 

1.     “A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING REV. FR. RONNIE SOTICO C. MORA AS THE LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) OF SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY BARUGO, INC. (SJABI), IN CONSONANCE WITH SECTION 1, ARTICLE IV OF THE SJABI BY-LAWS.”

2.    “A RESOLUTION REITIRATING THE ROLE OF SISTERS MARYLOU QUIJANO, ET.AL, IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY BARUGO, INC., AS CONTAINED IN THE CONTRACT OF SERVICE EXECUTED LAST JUNE 27, 2014 BY AND BETWEEN THE FRANCISCAN SISTERS ADORERS OF THE HOLY CROSS (FAHC), REPRESENTED BY SISTER MARYLOU QUIJANO, AND SAINT JOSEPH ACADEMY BARUGO, INC. (SJABI), REPRESENTED BY REV. FR. LORENO N. ROBLES.”

These resolutions were approved by the majority of the members of the SJABI Board of Trustees.  Both totally disregarded by the Archdiocese of Palo as you’ll find out below.

The Letter:  Rev. Fr. Ric Marpa, in a letter dated 2 February 2016 addressed to the Members of the St. Joseph Academy of Barugo, Inc. (SJABI), stated that “the Archbishop of Palo, Msgr. John F. Du has ordered me to write this letter in my capacity as his superintendent for the Catholic schools in the jurisdiction.” 

I have a copy of the letter and it is audaciously convoluted and irrational. It is patently devoid of any conformity with the Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, the 2010 Revised Manual and the Contract of Service.  It speaks volumes of dictatorial undertones.

Below are some of the striking and extraordinary claims in this letter, and my comments:

1.    That on September 09, 2013, Archbishop John Du then issued a Letter of Appointment entrusting the school under the administration of the FSAHC. That the religious sisters are the ones appointed, by will and intent of the archbishop.

My comments:  Frankly, the Letter of Appointment is a piece of crap.  As far as SJABI is concerned, the Archbishop has no authority of appointment.  It is only the Board of Trustees that has such authority.  And he is not THE Board of Trustees.  He is not even an officer of the Board, though he erroneously claims to be its President.  Yes, he is a member of the Board of Trustees but, just like any other member or even if he were President, he is one voice or one vote.  SJABI is governed by the will of the majority of the Board of Trustees, not by will and intent and audacity of any one member alone.  True, the FASHC sisters are supposed to assist in the administration of the school but that is by virtue of the Contract of Service. Hence, Sr. Marylou Quijano is accountable to the Board of Trustees.

2.    That “when it comes to matters pertaining to the financial operations of the St. Joseph Academy of Barugo Incorporated, the same shall be put under the administrative charge of the religious sisters.  No finance officers, like cashier or treasurer, other than those appointed by the present school administrator will have any rightful designation.  All monies or financial benefits accruing for and from the regular operations of the school will be placed under the control of the school administrator.  In the same vein, no employees of and for the school will be hired or fired by any other authority other than the school administrator.  In all these, however, the school administrator is subject to periodical visitation and audit by the local ordinary (i.e., bishop) or his delegate.”

My comments:  In all of the absurd claims in this letter signed by the alter ego of the Lubhang Kagalanggalang na Arsobispo, this one takes the cake as the most egregious!  This is a blatant declaration of one-man rule.  It may work for the church hierarchy, but not for the school which has the SJABI Board of Trustees as the governing body. 

Let’s go back to the SJABI By-Laws where it provides in Article II, Section 1, that “The corporate powers of the association shall be exercised, its business conducted and its property controlled by the Board of Trustees.”  And Article IV, Section 4, states that “The Treasurer shall have charge of the funds, receipts and disbursements of the association.  He shall keep all moneys and other valuables of the association in such banks as the Board of Trustees may designate.”

Section 51 of the DepED 2010 Revised Manual is likewise very clear.  It says, “Every private school shall have a governing body which shall exercise general supervision, have exclusive control and direction of all funds, prescribe policies, make rules and regulations and establish practices consistent with law for the governance and direction of the school.”  Under Section 52 of the same Manual, one of the Rights of a School Administrator is “To implement the development program of the school based on the budgetary provisions approved by the governing board.”

So, where on earth did this declaration of one-man rule come from?  I really don’t know, but I’m sure not from heaven!

3.    That “it is the standing policy of Archbishop of Palo – to this date of writing, that in all diocese-owned parochial schools, it is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Palo who is the designated president of the board of trustees.  The Parish Priest, who is just an appointee of the archbishop, may not properly assume an office which belongs to his superior…In the case of school boards, it would highly be improper when it happens that the parish priest chairs the board and the bishop, who is his appointing officer, is just one among the members.”

My comments:  Houston, we’ve got a problem.  This is the crux of the grand deception.  The big problem with this is that the school is NOT owned by the archdiocese.

I know of another school also named St. Joseph.  It’s called St. Joseph’s School – Pandacan, Manila (SJSP).  It is a parochial school established by Rufino Cardinal Santos in 1955.  It is owned by the Archdiocese of Manila.  But SJABI was established and is owned by St. Joseph Academy Barugo, Incorporated.  Something that can stand in and be affirmed by any court of law in the Republic of the Philippines.   

The archbishop has self-appointed himself as the President of the Board of Trustees.  But you know what, there is an easier and lawful way for him to become the President of the Board, if that is his pangarap sa buhay.  All that is required is for the Board of Trustees to amend the SJABI By-Laws by a majority vote of the 15 members.  But even if he were to become President, the Board of Trustees cannot be railroaded by his “will and intent.”

True, the Parish Priest, in his capacity as “spiritual father of all the faithful under his pastoral care,” is an appointee of the archbishop in his capacity as diocesan bishop.  The roles within the corporate powers of SJABI is a completely different matter.  And could be easily resolved.  Again, by amending the By-Laws, and not by diocesan fiat.

The School Administrator:  Sr. Marylou Quijano draws immense power, albeit unmerited, from the Archbishop. She answers only to the Archbishop of Palo and no one else.  .

She has been emboldened to flagrantly go beyond the functions and authority defined in the Contract of Service, and would probably be hard pressed to come up with the correct spelling of the word “By-Laws.”  

As outlined in Section 53 of the DepED 2010 Revised Manual, among the duties and accountabilities of the school administrator are:

1.    To respect the authority of the school’s governing board as well as the rights of the other members of the school community

2.    To implement the policies and decisions of the school’s governing board for the orderly, efficient, and effective management of the school

She has totally and defiantly ignored the authority of the SJABI Board of Trustees.

If she can do these to the real owner of the school, imagine what she can do to the students, parents, and teachers.

She is School Administrator plus plus, being also de facto treasurer, cashier, registrar, bookkeeper, accountant, and disbursing officer.

Is she qualified to be the school head?

Among the qualifications of the school head under Section 55 of the DepED 2010 Revised Manual are at least a master’s degree or a professional license requiring at least a bachelor’s degree; adequate teaching experience, managerial competence and technical expertise in school management, or have a background of demonstrated service and competence in his previous field of endeavor.

I don’t think so.

Is there transparency in school funds?  Are there proper consultations with parents/PTA on contributions?  Are teachers’ salaries and benefits in order?  Are gifts and donations properly accounted for?  In what bank and in whose account name are school funds deposited?  Answers should be easy.

When the members were still active in the management of the school, all funds including donations and school revenue were properly accounted for.  There was an audited financial statement for the year 2012.  There was also an audited financial statement for 2014 but is somewhat unreliable because of incomplete records for the year 2013.  Since then, there has not been any audited financial statement.

There is no real and meaningful consultation with parents as claimed by the PTA President.  Monetary contributions from students or parents and fund-raising proceeds are not transparent and not properly accounted for. 

Teachers’ salaries are deducted the amount of P1,000.00 each month for benefits contributions.  But it is not clear how much for what benefits.  Teachers are not provided PhilHealth and Pag-Ibig membership coverage.

Are her acts of commission or omission condoned by the Archbishop?

But the greatest debauchery of it all is her complete disregard of her accountability to the SJABI Board of Trustees.

Next: Part 3...  Quo Vadis?