The Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC), Region IV which serves and exercises administrative supervision over eleven (11) provincial and five (5) city schools divisions in the Southern Tagalog area was created in June 1977 by Presidential Decree No. 879 separating it from the Metropolitan Manila area which was also designated as a separate region. The National Capital Region announced its separation to the field through Department Memorandum No. 116, s. 19777.  The regional office started its formal operation at the PPSTA Building, Banaue, and Quezon City on July 1, 1977 comprising of eleven (11) provinces and six (6) cities, Southern Tagalog Region is the biggest area in the country that stretches from Aurora in the northeastern Pacific seaboard of Luzon down to Palawan in the South China Sea. (Annual Report, CY 2001).  After a year its personnel was increased to 85.  On its third year of operation there were 103 office force, 67 of which were regular, 34 casuals and 2 detailed personnel from the Division of Romblon.  On September 12, 1979, the Regional Office was moved to Bookman Building, 373 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. (Ministry of Education and Culture Region IV, REGIONAL PROFILE 1979-1980)

     It covers a land area of 46, 924.1 square kilometers, (NEDA IV) or approximately 16% of the national total.  The whole region has 212 municipalities, 10 cities and 5,615 barangays.  Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Quezon are characterized by gently sloping hills, cloud covered mountains, teeming lakes and navigable coastal waters.  These provinces have also been the cradle of the country’s most glorious heroes and leaders, such as Dr. Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo, Claro M. Recto, Miguel Malvar, Apolinario Mabini, Jose P. Laurel and Manuel L. Quezon.

     The islands of Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro, Palawan and Romblon are endowed with natural resources and minerals such as copper, marble and oil.

     It is also the home to various indigenous community like the Janunero and Alangan of Oriental Mindoro, the Dumagats and Igorots and Rementado of Aurora, Rizal and Quezon, Iraya Mangyans and Batangan of Occidental Mindoro and Bantoanon of Romblon, among others.

     The region has 17 schools divisions, 252 school districts, 7,405 elementary and secondary schools, both public and private.  Of the figure, 69.26 % or 5, 129 is shared by the public schools and only 30.74% by the private schools.

     Endowed by its mission and commitment to serve, the management of DepEd Region IV with constant coordination with the local government units are blending its policy directions in matters relative to the education of the youth and service for the common good. Along with it, the management of schools in both public and private sectors envisions a more feasible, realistic and achievable programs and projects which give an immediate response to the changing times. (2001 Annual Report)

     Region IV-A, CALABARZON and Region IV-B MIMAROPA were previously combined together as Southern Tagalog, until they were separated thru Executive Order 103 in May 17, 2002. Subsequently, Executive Order No. 246, dated October 28, 2003, designated Calamba City as the regional center of CALABARZON. CALABARZON is located in southwestern Luzon, just south and east of Metro Manila and is the second most densely populated region. It has total land area of 6,393.1 sq. mi. With a population of 11,743,110 (2007 census) and with a density of 709.2 per sq.km. (Wikipedia)

     Pursuant to Executive Order No. 103, DepEd Region IV has been divided into two region, Region IV-A and Region IV-B. (Annual Report, 2002)

      George R. Garma Regional Director IV-A together with Josefina G. Tamondong, Assistant Regional Director, took part on the special fund provided by Secretary Lapus to convert selected pilot pre-schools into DepEd Pagsasarili Pre-schools with the help of the SEA-CLLSD (Southeast Asian Center for Life-long Sustainable Development) National Laboratory, the OB Montessori Center, and its OB Montessori child and community foundation headed by Mrs. Concepcion Suarez. (A point of awareness by Preciosa S. Soliven, April 2, 2009)

     CALABARZON is an acronym for five (5) adjacent yet diverse provinces and nine (9) cities within these provinces, which are grouped together to integrate social and economic development.  These are Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

     The region has for its primary goal the improvement of the schools’ performance through enhanced capabilities of teachers and school managers.  It has taken its lead in the delivery of services to all 3,775 public and private elementary schools and 1,165 secondary schools in order to achieve quality education and produce individuals who are academically prepared, value-laden and physically fit as well.

     The assessment of the school system remains vital and essential concern of every country worldwide.  This assessment on concerns become more critical when viewed in terms of results in the national and international examinations. (Annual Report, 2005)

     Year 2006. The Department of Education, Region IV-A (CALABARZON), is composed of fourteen (14) schools divisions, the five (5) contiguous division provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Barangays, Quezon and the nine (9) cities of Batangas, Cavite, Lipa Lucena, San Pablo, Antipolo, Calamba, Tanauan and Sta. Rosa.

     It is located in the southern central portion of Luzon Island. The mainland provinces are aggregated into the so-called “Growth Corridor Subregion” because of their proximity to the National Capital Region (NCR), the growth center.

     Dr. Giron and Rosemarie Saet continued the administration for excellence and public service.

     Dr. Paraluman Giron participated in an alliance project with the Danish Trade Union Council for International Development Cooperation and the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation which aimed to develop and promote social dialogue between its management and teachers and employees to improve occupational safety and health in schools. (DM 440, s. 2009)

     She was also elected as the President of the Association of DepEd Directors and led the organization in saying that they were in full support of Luistro’s administration in working towards the education reforms pushed by President Benigno S. Aquino III.  She stated that DepEd were vanguards of Philippine education and were 100% behind Br. Armin’s initiative of the reform for she believed that a crucial has to be played greatly by DepEd to deliver to the youth. (PIA Press Release, Friday December 7, 2010)

     Before her retirement, she contributed not just financial support and human resources but inputs into the content of the training, “Pagsasanay sa mga Guro ng Pagbasa sa Unang Baitang”, which was an intensive training in the use of mother tongue to teach pupils how to read.  (Isagani Cruz, PhilStar Global 05/12/2011)

     Dr. Lorna D. Dino, CES Eligible she urged everyone to provide genuine and quality service to the people together with Assistant Regional Director Linda Bayas (The Public Manager, June 2001, Vol. 3 No.06)

     Under her directorate, PQA (Philippine Quality Award) was launched to lead the region in terms of good governance.  PQA was institutionalized through RA 9013 in 2001.  It was the highest level of national recognition for exemplary organizational performance.  It aimed to encourage and engage public and private organizations and other stakeholders to strive for and attain performance excellence.  She envisioned that by the year 2017, DepEd CALABARZON is a nationally recognized leading region for good governance and for developing functionally-literate and God-loving Filipinos.  (DepEd Region IVA-CALABARZON 02/04/2013)

     After her service in the region, she was designated as OIC-Office of the Undersecretary for Programs and Projects (DepEd Memo 32, s. 2013, 02/18, 2013)

     On the other hand, with more than 30 years of academic expertise and managerial experience, Dino has been accustomed to the DepEd ways – from being a teacher in the Division of Sorsogon to being a regional director in CALABARZON. She is also a trainer/resource speaker of various subjects such as reading education, leadership and management, English proficiency and public speaking.

     Dino completed her academic requirements for a doctorate degree in educational management at the University of St. Anthony and has a Master of Arts degree from the Annunciation College.  Moreover, she was also a diplomat in Language Studies, which she obtained from the University of the Philippines Open University on a scholarship. She also attended a series of trainings and numerous conferences concerning education and leadership. (DepEd CALABARZON (February 26, 2013)

     Before his plight as the Regional Director of IV-A, RD San Antonio was the Assistant Regional Director of DepEd Region V. (2012)

     The former Regional Director and now ASec Lorna D. Dino left so many legacies in the region which Dr. San Antonio carried on.  The quest for the Philippine Award is the ultimate goal of the region for it gauges how it fares in all of its programs and projects.

     As manifestation of its teamwork and commitment to quality service, the region was recognized as one of the best in the country in campus journalism and in sports program.

     On the other hand, the region is now a function-based team wherein different teams do different tasks so there will be no overlapping of work.  Delivery of services becomes easier and efficient.

     For the first time, the regional director conducted a series of consultative meetings on School Based Management in all divisions participated by all elementary and secondary school heads. This is to bring the regional office closer to the people in the field and know their issues and concerns regarding SBM. In this way, the region can design programs and projects based on the needs on the school and division office.

     Because one of his passions is research, the regional director plans to put up a research clinic for teachers, principals and other DepEd employees who are conducting or planning to conduct research. It may be once a month meeting of researchers as part of capacity building program.

     Also, he wants to empower and develop future leaders as he is going to conduct trainings and seminars to would be superintendents, regional directors as components of succession planning.  (DepEd CALABARZON, 06/17, 2013)

     Youngsters who complete excellent holistic education become productive citizens who propel economic sustainability for their own families, for their own community and for our dear country. (Regional Sports Competition, 02/15, 2014)

     In line with the Transparent, Ethical and Accountable (TEA) governance advocacy of Regional Director Dr. Diosdado M. San Antonio in DepEd IV-A CALABARZON which was formally introduced in a forum on Feb. 27, the Division of Imus City vowed to adhere and campaign good governance among its educational leaders. (February 27, 2014)

     Diosdado M. San Antonio was appointed Director IV on February 19, 2014(Memorandum 140237, 02/26/2014).  He took part in the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities Accrediting Agency, Inc. (ACSCU-AAI) National Convention with its aim to develop ASEAN Model in Nurturing Schools in whole person education. (AUP 05/20-22, 2015)

     Dr. Diosdado M. San Antonio received a plaque of recognition on behalf of DepEd Region IV-A for bringing honor to the CALABARZON region as the Best Performer and Overall Champion in Campus Journalism category during the 2015 National School Press Conference. (DepEd CALABARZON (June 11, 2015)

     He spearheaded the benchmarking of the TEA governance which aims to heighten the awareness of educational administrators, leaders and managers in CALABARZON on the need to realize the DepEd Vision and Mission through good governance (Memorandum, February 13, 2014) to further build up diligence and conviction among education leaders as front liners in providing responsive public service ( Memorandum, January 20, 2015) and was supported by the Philippine Association of School Superintendents- CALABARZON Chapter through the formation of the Association of Learning Leaders. This association aims to promote transparent, ethical and accountable delivery of instructional services and governance in basic education.  It also aimed in strengthening supervisors’ leadership towards continuous improvement and have come up with strategic and supervisory plan in response to the teacher, learners and community needs using operational and technical inputs on instructional supervision.  (Memorandum, May 08, 2014).  SCOUTERS ROCK includes the summary of things to do for TEA Governance.

     This governance in Dr. San Antonio’s leadership is well-supported by the Assistant Regional Director, Dr. Beatriz Torno, who also contributed for achieving a culture of excellence and having commitment to quality service and education.

PAU
DepED Region IV-A