To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Superintendents
Schools Principals/Administrators
Officers and Members of Teachers’ Cooperatives

1. This Office has noted that while DECS Order No. 55, s. 1996, entitled “Implementing Guidelines on the Conversion of School Canteens into Teachers Cooperatives”, is being implemented smoothly, efficiently and effectively in several schools throughout the country. Its implementation in other schools has resulted in conflict between the school management and the teachers’ cooperative. In order to resolve this conflict, a technical committee is hereby constituted to study and evaluate both the merits and defects of DECS Order No. 55, s. 1996.
2. The technical committee shall be composed of the following:
   Chairman: Director III, Health and Nutrition Center
   Vice-Chairman: Officer-in-Charge, EWBD
   Members: One Div. Superintendent of NCR (Dr. Paraluman Giron) | One Representative from BEE | One Representative from BSE
   The Employees Welfare and Benefits Division shall provide the necessary support services to the technical committee.
3. The specific functions of the technical committee shall be to:
   • Conduct a survey in the field offices to determine the extent of implementation of DECS Order No. 55, s. 1996;
   • Establish criteria or standards that will serve as bases to evaluate the implementation;
   • Determine the effectiveness or deficiencies of the implementing guidelines;
   • Propose measures that will improve the implementation of the DECS Order in the field; and
   • Propose amendments to improve the implementing guidelines or when necessary, the rescission of said DECS Order.
4. The technical committee shall submit its findings and recommendations after forty-five (45) days from its initial meeting. In order to solicit the widest variety of inputs, suggestions and insights on DECS Order No. 55, s. 1996, the committee may consult with the officers of the Philippine Association of the School Superintendents (PASS), Philippine Association of Secondary School Administrators (PASSA), Philippine Elementary School Principals Association (PESPA), Philippine Federation of Teachers and Employees Cooperatives (PFTEC), Federation of Metro Manila Public School Cooperatives, the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and other federations of teachers’ cooperatives. All regional directors, school officials and the officers of these organizations are hereby enjoined to cooperate with the members of the technical committee.
5. To further fast track the gathering of data, the members of the technical committee and its support staff are hereby authorized to travel whenever necessary. Travel expenses shall be charged against the funds of the Office of the Secretary, subject to the availability of funds and the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
6. Widest and immediate dissemination of the contents of this Order to all concerned is desired.

Reference: DECS Order: (No. 55, s. 1996)
Allotment: 1—(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
COMMITTEES
COOPERATIVES
LISTS
REPORTS
SCHOOLS

DO_s1997_92