Oplan Balik Eskwela for SY 2021-2022

National Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) for School Year (SY) 2021-2022

The Department of Education (DepEd) will conduct the National Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) for School Year (SY) 2021-2022 with the theme: OBE 2021: Bayanihan Para sa Ligtas na Balik Eskwela from September 6 to September 17, 2021 at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office (CO), DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.

The OBE is a DepEd annual initiative to engage agencies, organizations, and other stakeholders in preparation for the opening of the SY 2021-2022.

2. The OBE is part of the Department's effort to ensure that learners are properly enrolled. It aims to address problems, queries and other concerns commonly encountered by the public at the start of the school year.

3. This year, OBE has the following components:

a. Convergence. Members of the OBE-Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) shall focus on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in relation to the delivery of basic education. Given the current health situation, the Department will be guided by the decisions of the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infections Diseases (IATF-MEID) affecting the operations of basic education. The member agencies will perform a critical role by providing guidelines in health and safety, peace and order, transportation, and other forms of support when the school year opens.transportation, and other forms of support when the school year opens. The members of the OBE-IATF are the following:

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. Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT);

x. Manila Electric Company (MERALCO);

xi. Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS);

xii. Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA);

xiii. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA); 

xiv. Philippine National Police (PNP);

xv National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC);

xvi. National Telecommunications Commission (NTC); and

xvii.Presidential Communication 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 September 13, 2021.

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; Correctly identify entify and coordinate with the concerned DepEd offices on complex concerns that will require the specific offices (3) 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) emails (Hotline 8888, CSC, PCC, PMS, FOI, ARTA, depedaction); 

(3) text messaging service (Smart and Globe);

(4) social media (Facebook); and

(5) letters and indorsements.

Composition of OBE-PACC at the Central Office

The OBE implementation shall be under the general supervision of the Undersecretary and Chief of Staff, Nepomuceno A. Malaluan, and Undersecretary Revsee A. Escobedo, Field Operations as co-chairs, and PAS Director June Arvin C. Gudoy, as vice-chair of the Oplan Balik Eskwela 2021. This will be in coordination with all offices in the Central Office.

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