PSU president Dexter Buted (2nd from left) answers questions during the hearing while the father of Dahrel dela Cruz, Rogelio, (extreme right) listens idly.

 

THERE appears to be more than meets the eye in the supposedly regular arrangements for on-the-job (OJT) training of graduating students of the Pangasinan State University (PSU).

An ad hoc committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) found indications of possible irregularities in the handling of the university’s OJT program for PSU students following a committee hearing Thursday attended by PSU president Dexter Buted and other officials.

This was bared by Acting Vice Gov. Alfonso Bince Jr., chair of the ad hoc committee, and Board Member Raul Sison, chair of the elderly, children and women committee, after the hearing.

The ad hoc committee was formed following a receipt of a letter addressed to outgoing Gov. Amado Espino Jr. informing him that 43 students of PSU were sent to Interphil Laboratories Corporation in Canlubang, Laguna for their OJT and one of them, Dahrel de la Cruz fell ill and had to be confined at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital.

With PSU President Buted in the committee hearing, were Dr. Evelyn Lomboy, dean of the PSU campus in San Carlos City, and Ma. Teresa Deza, OJT coordinator of PSU.

The hearing determined that arrangements for OJT of students are done by JIF Human Referral Services, Inc. with office in San Carlos City; it is the Vice President for Academic Affairs that oversees the OJT program, and the students sent to Interphil Laboratories are graduating Business Administration students majoring in Human Resources Management.

The testimony of Rogelio de la Cruz. father of Dahrel, pointed to an attempt by PSU officials Lomboy and Deza to convince Dahrel to pull out his video tape played on You Tube implicating PSU in his dilemma and in exchange, the university will bankroll his hospital expenses. The elder De la Cruz said he rejected the proposition.

The claim was denied by Lomboy and Deza but admitted to visiting Dahrel but merely to look into his condition and offered advice that he can cover his hospital expenses through the insurance provided by PSU.

Dahrel’s lungs collapsed reportedly as a result of his exposure to chemicals at Interphil. Buted, however, pointed out that only De la Cruz got sick.

When asked why they were made to undergo OJT at a chemical laboratory, the PSU officials said Interphil is one of the 49 partner companies, among them Acer, Samsung, Techno Park and others and many of PSU graduates are already employed by Interphil.

After the committee hearing, both Messrs. Bince and Sison said they suspect that JIF Human Referral and Manpower Services is earning from the arrangement providing manpower services, and exploits the students services as OJT that pays only P300 a day.

He said the hearing will continue on June to look into the arrangements even as Buted said the university will conduct its own investigation on the matter.

The letter complaint also noted the “many concerns” of parents whose children are enrolled at the PSU.

These include the alleged “delayed release of paid uniforms, advanced collection of payments without organized programs like seminars and shipboard training to name a few, not to mentions the persecutions of some faculty, non-teaching personnel, and other university officials who constructively critique the present administration.”

One of the signatories, Dr. Mariel Cristobal Tapia, PSU San Carlos City campus faculty member, claimed she is being harassed PSU president Dr. Dexter Buted.

Mr. Bince, a lawyer said, the committee or the SP has no jurisdiction over the matter.

Mr. Bince, who will end his term in June 30, said he intends to call a special session of the SP on that day since the issue has an impact on some 1,500 scholars of the province enrolled in different campuses of the PSU.

Both board members will ask the next SP to continue its hearings on the issue till it submits a comprehensive report for submission to all concerned including the Commission on Higher Education. (Leonardo Micua/ Johanne Macob)

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