By I. Inojales | 12:21 PM August 08, 2025
After nearly 25 years of service, international coaching experience, and countless weekends devoted to his students’ success, Buenavista, Bohol teacher Acisclo Bautista, 49, says he feels invisible in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) new Career Progression system.
Bautista, who has guided students to victories from district to international competitions — including the International Science and Engineering Fair — lamented that he has never been promoted to Master Teacher nor received consistent recognition for his achievements.
Despite previously qualifying for promotion as early as 2008 and securing approvals from higher offices, his applications were repeatedly delayed or set aside, citing various guidelines and requirements. He also claims his name was removed from official award lists, replaced by colleagues whose records did not reach national level wins.
“Two decades of hard work, national trainings, and international achievements seem to have been erased overnight,” Bautista said. “Now, with the new guidelines, I need to go back to school at great cost — with no guarantee of promotion.”
He added that while others focused on graduate studies, he spent years handling extra duties — from arts program coaching to school maintenance work — believing that student success would speak for itself.
With retirement only a few years away, Bautista called on DepEd to also recognize experienced and high-performing teachers, not just those with advanced degrees.
“Is the goal to focus on the children, like I did, or to focus on personal advancement?” he asked. “Performance should matter. Experience should matter.”
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