A Look into the 2010 Nursing Issue

---

By Andy Phil Cortes, Vernabelle Balmori, and Kristina Ginn Estoy

We have just produced our first batch of nursing graduates just in June 6, 2011.  The start of the Nursing Program in 2007 was a hallmark, said to be part of our school’s answer to meet the needs of the global market.

The start of the program was not sail on smoothly. At the onset, many have doubted the capacity of the university to give quality education to aspiring nurses. In fact, its pioneering batch encountered a problem which almost made them not graduate.

An issue reached the Amaranth sometime in February 2011. Details were not very clear, so we tried to look into it. We asked questions. We talked to the people involved—students, faculty and staff.

Many warned that it is sensitive. But the Amaranth should continue to be the students’ voice. Tackling this matter is important as VSU continues to improve its nursing program. Many have tried to silence issues like this, but not us. Let us look into the facts. What happened? We asked the people involved to tell us the story.

 

Backstory

In May 2010, the pioneer batch of nursing students of Visayas State University went to Cebu City together with several clinical instructors. They were to undergo Related Learning Experience (RLE) training on communicable diseases and psychiatric nursing. Nursing students are required to go on these training for a certain number of hours. They will eventually need these hours of experience to qualify for graduation.

Facilities for the said tranings are not existent here in Leyte, students have to go to Cebu City. But the concern is that staying in Cebu City is expensive. They have to pay for their food and lodging, training fees and other expenses.

Days before they set off, some Clinical Instructors together with the previous Dean of Nursing Mrs. Erlita Piñero, collected money from the students. Each student needed to contribute about PHP 21,000 for the expenses including fare, food and lodging, and training fees.

The guiding clinical instructors went first. But when they arrived at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, they found out that the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Contract of Affiliation (COA) were not yet approved. This meant that they couldn’t start the training yet. These two documents are needed when an arranged activity is to be held. One clinical instructor, however, negotiated with the training officer and arranged the matter.

When the students finally arrived at Cebu, their clinical instructors were worried because everything wasn’t ready yet. So they started by negotiating with an agent to facilitate for their lodging and food and handed him a down payment.

The students  found their stay in Cebu City satisfactory for the first two weeks until they noticed that the food served for them was starting to become much less edible. So they students started to complain. However, the agent demanded for full payment. The students cannot pay the agent in full since they were they were sent to Cebu City with only PHP 400,000 at hand. The remaining budget from their contribution, amounting more than PHP 1 Million, was in the possession of the previous Dean. Eventually, the agent told the students he cannot accommodate them any longer without the money.

In retort, the students and clinical instructors in Cebu City tried to reach Mrs. Piñero to inquire about the funds.  She didn’t answer any call from them.  It was clear by then that there was a problem in the arrangement of the funds. In attempt to resolve the situation, they suspended their RLE duties for one day.

By then, reports have already reached VSU and the university administration through the students themselves or their parents. By that time, they were were finally able to reach Mrs. Piñero.

She went to Cebu, but instead of talking to the clinical instructors and resolving confusion about the funds for the trainings, she called a meeting with the students and scolded them.

“Do you think you can graduate without a Dean’s signature?” the students were surprised when the she asked them.

The students were able to keep a an audio record of the meeting, although Mrs. Pinero has ordered students from using their cellular phones during the meeting. The recording is now in the possession of the VSU administration. She then negotiated with the agent and asked the team of clinical instructors to hand an additional payment of about PHP 50,000 to the agent from the initial PHP 400,00 they brought with them. The clinical instructors refused to give the additional payment because it was already allotted for the student’s fare back to Baybay.

Further conflict set in. Where were the remaining funds?

Back here in VSU, separate stories have been spreading. Some say the remaining money was with the team of assisting clinical instructors. Others say it was with Mrs. Piñero.

In May 31, 2010, when the students and their Clinical Instructors where finally back in VSU, the administration summoned them up to report about what happened.

Mr. Elni Marie Mendoza, the present dean of the College of Nursing, the informal investigation of the incident started on June and ended in December 2010. The investigation concluded that Mrs. Piñero be formally charged for violation of reasonable rules and regulations stated in Civil Service Code. Furthermore, the investigating body led by the VSU Board of Regents secretary Prof. Daniel Tudtud has proven that Mrs. Piñero violated the rules of Civil Service by not following the formal accounting process. By January 25 this year, Mrs. Piñero was issued a formal charge dubbed as Administrative Case #23. It recommends that her case be formally investigated and she should perform formal accounting of the funds for the Cebu City trainings. In retort, she admitted that she did wrong, asked for apologies. She even requested that she be not investigated further. After Mrs. Piñero’s resignation, Mr. Elni Mari C. Mendoza took her place as Dean of College of Nursing.

The Amaranth tried to reach Mrs. Piñero to ask her side of the story, but she refused to give any comment. She said that she is already clear of her liabilities in VSU and that she doesn’t want to be put in bad light. She even requested us not to have this article released.

Conclusion

Having all these facts at hand, there are still questions to be answered.  Mrs. Piñero is currently employed at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Does this mean that she is cleared of her case in VSU? How? What measures were taken? And if not, how was she able to land a job in a another government office? How should the university answer her case?

As what Mr. Elni Mari C. Mendoza said, “If you’re a government worker, you are subjected to checks and balances. If you receive something, it must be properly accounted for.” What has happened to the recommendation for a formal investigation?

Mrs. Piñero once worked in Remedios T. Rumualdez Medical Foundation, a private institution, before working here in VSU. She might have been unaware of some processes a government employee should undergo with respect to finances. But ignorance of the law is not an excuse to perform her obligations to the students and the University. A number of teachers and staff, who, like her, came from private institutions before working here, still carries out their tasks and accountabilities well.

This incident is a sign of growing attitude of passivity and irresponsibility among government employees of today. This leads us to the root concern – mismanagement.  Money issues ought to be discussed, especially because money is important to students. Faculty and students alike should strive in one way or another to earn and save money.  Any member of the faculty should be responsible enough to organize activities properly, especially if the activities involve monetary contributions.

With position comes responsibility.

As students, we should play our part too. We should be concerned where our money goes. It would be best if we ask we are spending for or if it’s worth it. Let us also remember to ask for a receipt when paying. We don’t know when it might come in handy. Say it simply, just fight for your right. It’s your responsibility as well.

Most of all, we need to remember that we are in a government institution. And above any reason, we ought to abide by its rules. Besides, these rules are for the good of us all, aren’t they? With this idea in our minds, mismanagement problems can be eliminated. If we are concerned of our duties, we might as well learn to act like responsible members of a government institution, or at least, be mindful of the consequences.