BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday launched its Inclusive Employment (IE) Policy, describing it as a turning point for the agency’s internal systems after years of fragmented approaches to diversity and non-discrimination across its offices. 

The policy (DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2025), unveiled in a gathering of government agencies, foreign partners, civil society groups, teachers, and employees, is aligned with the education agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to modernize the teaching force and strengthen institutional culture. 

In his keynote address, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the policy is designed to affirm the agency’s responsibility to provide a safe, impartial, and dignified environment for more than a million teaching and non-teaching personnel nationwide. 

“Kung itinuturo natin sa mga kabataan na ang respeto ay dapat pantay-pantay, dapat iyon din ang nararanasan ng bawat kawani sa DepEd. Wala at hindi magkakaroon ng puwang ang diskriminasyon sa ating mga opisina at paaralan. Panahon na para maramdaman ng bawat empleyado na may lugar sila, may boses sila, at may pagkakataon silang umunlad,” Sec. Angara said. 

Before the new framework, inclusion practices within DepEd varied widely by region and division, with many employees reporting uneven access to opportunities and inconsistent implementation of workplace protections. 

The IE Policy consolidates these efforts into a single governance system, mandating equal opportunity standards in hiring, promotion, and daily office operations. It also introduces clear accountability mechanisms, including annual inclusion reports from every governance level. 

Stakeholders from the Australian Embassy, The Asia Foundation, Department of Social Welfare and Development – Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and women’s and labor organizations voiced support, noting that the shift brings DepEd’s HR culture closer to global inclusive standards. 

Civil society leaders welcomed the move as a long-overdue reform, particularly for employees who previously faced limited accommodations, stalled career progression, or bias due to disability, identity, religion, gender, age, or familial status. 

Angara underscored that the new policy is not just symbolic but also operational, targeting a more consistent, accountable, and transparent workplace culture.

The initiative also coincides with the Senate’s approval of DepEd’s 2026 budget proposal–the highest in history—with significant increases in new teaching and non-teaching positions, resources that the department said will strengthen the implementation of the IE Policy.

*All Photos from DepEd