Nine of 14 principals and at least 100 teachers in Leganes town, Province of Iloilo signed a petition seeking the reassignment of a district supervisor.

Officers of the federated Parents-Teachers Associations (PTA) in the said town have also affixed their signature in the petition against Dr. Rowena Calimpong of the Department of Education (DepEd) - Schools Division of Iloilo.

The nine principals are from Cari Mayor Elementary School, Guintas Elementary School, Guinobatan Elementary School, Lapayon Elementary School, Leganes Central Elementary School, Napnud Elementary School, Lapayon National High School, Leganes National High School, and Nabitasan National High School.

In 2023,  school heads, teachers, and the PTA in Leganes expressed their petition against Calimpong. In the first letter of the school principals, they appealed to Schools Division of Iloilo  Superintendent, Dr. Ernesto Servillon, to reassign the supervisor, citing they seek to find normalcy again at work.

The complainants mentioned of Calimpong’s alleged worse attitude and poor management.

During the first staff meeting, schools heads were startled that the district supervisor demanded reportedly one percent of the schools' Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) to be placed into her operating expenses.

The school heads said they refused to comply.

In the second meeting, the supervisor blamed reportedly the principal of Leganes Central Elementary School for the lack of equipment and supplies in the district office such as computer unit, air conditioning unit, curtain, coffee, soap, alcohol, among other items she allegedly demanded. 

Further, Calimpong refused purportedly to sign the authority to travel of school heads for an event of the association of principals without accomplishment report.

The petition also mentioned that school heads and teachers could not easily gain access into her office for the signing of pertinent documents and other transactions.

Calimpong has further been accused of alleged failture to provide technical assistance to the school heads.

Aside from these, there were other reported incidents of miscommunication and alleged bribery between the district supervisor and a number of teachers.

Roberto Caro Jr., general PTA president of Leganes Central Elementary School, questioned the impending removal of two members of the Local School Board tasked to assist Grade 4 and 5; and the hiring of a utility person supposedly to help maintain cleanliness in school but is assigned instead to her office.

Caro also accused the district supervisor to have used six aircon units in her office that caused eventual low power voltage at school.

“Pagkuha niya, nag-hire nga siya ng i-replace ngunit ang problema, doon sa kanyang tanggapan pinapatulong. So ang nangyari, kinompress ang isang section. Ang bawat room na pinapasukan ng mga bata, ang sikip. At ang worst na between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., napuputol ang aming mga wiring (connection) dahil anim ang aircon na ginagamit,” Caro pointed out.

He added that it has been nearly two years of alleged inaction on the part of DepEd Iloilo to the request seeking the district supervisor's reassignment. 

“Nagkakagulo ang mga faculty, hindi nagkakaintindihan ang buong distrito, may mga gap dahil sa kanya,” Caro further said.

Dervillon refused to comment about the issue, citing they are still waiting for documents from the complainants. He said the petition of the school heads and the PTA has to go through due process. 

The petition was reportedly signed as well, and endorsed by Leganes Mayor Vicente Jaen II to the Schools Division of Iloilo. 

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas tried to seek a statement from Calimpong, but she was not around in her office because of a purported meeting in the Municipality of San Miguel.