Councilor chides top Davao Oriental DepEd official for ‘dumbhead’ remark
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 7 December) – A municipal councilor has called out the top Department of Education (DepEd) official of Davao Oriental for her “very concerning” remark about student athletes at the opening program of the provincial athletic meet in Governor Generoso town on Friday.
In her speech during the event, Schools Division Superintendent Josephine L. Fadul posed the question “Ano nga ang Nike’s slogan?” (What is Nike’s slogan?), alluding to a popular shoe brand’s motto.
“Ay, mga bulok. Maayo ra mos dula ha” (Oh, dumbheads. You’re only good in sports), Fadul remarked after the student athletes failed to immediately answer the question, her facial expression remaining serious as shown in the video footage of the opening ceremony.
“Just do it, ha, Nike na siya,” Fadul, answering her own question, said.
Fadul followed her “dumbhead” remark with a reminder that “character is still paramount.”
“But I would like to add – it’s not just about doing it, but we have to do it right. In other words, I’m saying and I’m telling you, winning is not everything. Character is still paramount.
“Character such as self-discipline, good leadership, followership, teamwork, sportsmanship, being a magnanimous winner, being a good-natured loser, and respect and obedience to your officials and coaches,” she said.
In a Facebook post Friday evening, Councilor Mark Virgilio of Tarragona town called Fadul’s remarks “very concerning” as “insulting students is never leadership.”
“This kind of language is alarming. It sends a dangerous example for other teachers (na same niya ka bright) (as smart as her), and might influence how they speak to our learners inside the classroom,” Virgilio wrote in the now deleted post.
The councilor added that DepEd’s Child Protection Policy states that “calling students derogatory names, especially in public, is a form of psychological violence and prohibited conduct.”
The policy defines psychological violence as “acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional suffering of the child, such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, deduction or threat of deduction from grade or merit as a form of punishment, and repeated verbal abuse.”
Virgilio also cited Fadul’s remarks as grounds for administrative charges under Republic Act (RA) 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”
This act “provides special protection to children from all firms of abuse, neglect, cruelty exploitation and discrimination and other conditions, prejudicial their development; provide sanctions for their commission and carry out a program for prevention and deterrence of and crisis intervention in situations of child abuse, exploitation and discrimination.”
Fadul may also be charged with violations of The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713) for “failing to uphold professionalism and respect,” he said.
Article 11, section 3 of the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers provides that “a teacher shall maintain at all times a dignified personality which could serve as a model worthy of emulation by learners, peers and all others.”
Fadul finished her Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics degree in 1986 at Mati Community College (now the Davao Oriental State University), and had a stint as professor in the same university, according to the DORSU Alumni Engagement Office post.
MindaNews tried to reach Fadul on Saturday morning via Messenger to ask for her statement, but she has not responded as of Sunday noon.
In a Facebook post Saturday, Virgilio “humbly apologize[d]” if his message “hurt or troubled anyone.”
“When concerns like this reach me, I cannot ignore them because my fear is what if ma-NORMALIZE kay gikan mismo ang words sa (since the words come from the) superintendent?” he wrote.
He added he did not mean to attack Fadul’s leadership but to ensure that “children are safe, respected, and guided with compassion.”
The provincial athletic competition, which ends on 10 December, is the qualifying round and preparation for Davao Oriental schools’ athletes who will be sent to the Davao Regional Athletic Association 2026. (Razl EJ Teman/MindaNews)
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