A school head brings a person to the job: a picture of where the school should go, values that decide what they will and will not do, and beliefs about how children learn. The Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH), adopted by DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020, make that person part of the standard: they set out “what school heads are expected to know, be able to do, and value as they progress in their profession” (Encl., para. 10). The Department of Education (DepEd) supplies the anchor. DepEd Order No. 36, s. 2013 makes the DepEd vision, mission and core values (VMV) “the only vision, mission, and core values adopted by all offices and schools” (para. 2). A school head’s personal vision therefore never replaces the school’s. It says how one person will serve DepEd’s.

The law and the profession set the ethical floor. Republic Act No. 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, binds every public school head. The Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers has an article titled “The Teacher as a Person”, and it covers “all other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all schools” (Art. I, Sec. 2). Self-knowledge completes the picture. The Johari window of Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham (1955) shows why a school head needs other people’s feedback to know themselves, and DepEd’s performance and assessment systems already supply some of it.

For teachers preparing for the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH) and for serving school heads, the topic sits mainly in PPSSH strands 1.1 (vision, mission and core values), 4.1 (personal and professional development) and 4.2 (professional reflection and learning).

Key findings

  • DepEd’s VMV is the only one a school may adopt. “In promoting ‘One DepEd’, the official DepEd VMV shall be the only vision, mission, and core values adopted by all offices and schools” (DO 36, s. 2013, para. 2). A personal vision belongs in your own development plan, not on the school gate.
  • The PPSSH covers values as well as skills. It sets out what school heads should “know, be able to do, and value” (DO 024, s. 2020, Encl., para. 10). Its first Career Stage 1 indicator in Domain 4 is to “Conduct self-assessment of personal and professional development needs using the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads” (indicator 4.1.1).
  • The four core values come from the national motto. Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan and Makabansa are the motto set by Republic Act No. 8491 (DO 36, s. 2013, Encl.). The Basic Education Development Plan 2030 (BEDP) describes each value in behavior statements (DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2022, BEDP Part 4.0).
  • The teachers’ Code of Ethics reaches school heads. It covers persons with supervisory and administrative functions (Art. I, Sec. 2). Its Article XI, “The Teacher as a Person”, asks for dignity “in all places at all times” and a personality that “could serve as a model worthy of emulation by learners, peers, and others” (Secs. 1 and 3).
  • The PPSSH has no strand on a philosophy of education; the teachers’ standards do. Strand 7.1 of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) asks for “a personal philosophy of teaching that is learner-centered” (DepEd Order No. 42, s. 2017, indicators 7.1.1 and 7.1.2). In SY 2025-2026, Proficient and Highly Proficient teachers were rated on it under the Performance Management and Evaluation System (PMES) (DepEd Memorandum No. 089, s. 2025, Tables 3 and 4).
  • The law sets the floor for any philosophy. The curriculum “shall be learner-centered, inclusive and developmentally appropriate” (Republic Act No. 10533, Sec. 5(a)), a paragraph that Republic Act No. 12322 left unchanged in 2026.
  • DepEd’s systems already send you feedback. In the Office Performance Commitment and Review Form (OPCRF), the rater discusses the school head’s competencies in Phase IV and the strengths and needs go into the Individual Development Plan (Memorandum DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex B, item 36). NASH takers receive an Individual Development Report (DepEd Memorandum No. 069, s. 2025, para. 12). In Johari terms, both shrink the blind area.

What “the school head as a person” means in DepEd’s standards

The PPSSH describes the quality school head through five domains. One of them, Developing Self and Others, begins with the school head’s own growth. The PPSSH booklet says quality school heads “reflect on their personal and professional development to enhance their competencies in leading and developing people as they support their personnel’s professional development and welfare”. The order itself commits DepEd to “help school heads reflect on and assess their own practice as they aspire for and pursue professional development” (DO 024, s. 2020, Encl., para. 8(c)).

The career stages show the person maturing in the role.

Career stage What the PPSSH says of school heads at this stage Strand 4.1 indicator
1 (aspiring school heads) They “demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of the authority, responsibility, and accountability expected of school heads” 4.1.1 Conduct self-assessment of personal and professional development needs using the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads.
2 “They reflect on their practices for improvement and seek to involve all school personnel in professional learning and career advancement.” 4.1.2 Set personal and professional development goals based on self-assessment aligned with the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads.
3 “They continuously reflect on and take steps to address their developmental needs and those of other school personnel and learners.” 4.1.3 Reflect on the attainment of personal and professional development goals and objectives based on the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads.
4 “They model the highest standards of practice in performing their functions as instructional leaders and administrative managers.” 4.1.4 Serve as a learning resource to fellow school heads in upgrading personal and professional competencies aligned with the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads.

The same progression runs through strand 1.1. At Career Stage 1 you “Demonstrate knowledge of the DepEd vision, mission and core values”; at Career Stage 4 you “Serve as a role model in the school and the wider school community in embodying the DepEd vision, mission and core values” (indicators 1.1.1 and 1.1.4). The standards move from knowing the values to living them where others can see.

The Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, adopted by the Board for Professional Teachers in Resolution No. 435 on November 11, 1998, says the same thing in older language. Its scope includes “all other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all schools” from preschool to secondary level (Art. I, Sec. 2), so a principal or teacher-in-charge is bound by it. Article XI, “The Teacher as a Person”, has four sections:

  1. “A teacher shall live with dignity in all places at all times.”
  2. “A teacher shall place premium upon self-respect and self-discipline as the principles of personal behavior in all relationships with others and in all situations.”
  3. “A teacher shall maintain at all times a dignified personality which could serve as a model worthy of emulation by learners, peers, and others.”
  4. “A teacher shall always recognize the Almighty God or Being as guide of his own destiny and of the destinies of men and nations.”

Section 4 is a statement of personal faith. How it sits beside a public school’s duty to every faith is taken up under the core values below.

Can a school head have a personal vision if DepEd’s VMV is the only one?

A school head can, as long as it stays personal. Republic Act No. 9155 gives school heads authority for “Setting the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the school”, but that list opens with “Consistent with the national educational policies, plans and standards” (Sec. 7(E)(1)). DO 36, s. 2013 is one of those policies, and it leaves one vision, one mission and one set of core values for every school. What the school sets for itself is its goals and objectives, through the School Improvement Plan (SIP). The RA 9155 guide explains the twelve areas of authority.

Level Who sets it Where it is written Source
DepEd vision, mission and core values DepEd, for every office and school The school’s documents and walls, word for word DO 36, s. 2013, para. 2
School goals and objectives The school head with the planning team The School Improvement Plan RA 9155, Sec. 7(E)(1)
Personal leadership vision You Your own notes and your development plan Serves PPSSH indicators 4.1.1 and 4.1.2

DO 36’s own explanation of the vision reads like a personal commitment. “Our vision is more than just the end-goal of a plan. It is a dream, a wish, a prayer – what we fervently hope for and what we diligently work towards.” It also says: “Just like our students, we do not stop learning. We constantly seek to be better, both as an institution and as individuals.”

The mission has a line written for you. It promises a school where “Administrators and staff, as stewards of the institution, ensure an enabling and supportive environment for effective learning to happen”. The PPSSH opens with the same idea: “School heads, as stewards of schools, play a crucial role in ensuring an enabling and supportive environment for effective teaching and learning” (DO 024, s. 2020, Encl., para. 1). A personal vision is your answer to that line: what the environment will look like in your school, and what you will do to make it so.

How to write a personal leadership vision

Keep it to three or four sentences, and write each one so that someone could see whether you are living it.

  1. The learners. Name the learners your school serves, from its own data: how many read at grade level, who is at risk of leaving, who is easy to overlook.
  2. The school you are working toward. Describe the school in three to five years in terms a parent would notice.
  3. Your part. Say what you will do, in behaviors, not adjectives.
  4. How you will keep learning. Name one way you will check your own growth.

An example from the school head of a small multigrade school in an upland barangay:

By 2030, every learner who leaves Grade 3 in our school reads with understanding, and no child stops coming because the walk is long or the family moved for the harvest. Our teachers plan together every week and try new ways of teaching without fear of being blamed when one fails. I will spend the first hour of each school day in classrooms, decide with data and explain my decisions in the open, and ask my teachers twice a year what I should do differently.

Read it against the mission. It covers learners (“Students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe, and motivating environment”), teachers (“Teachers facilitate learning and constantly nurture every learner”), the school head as steward, and, through the families who move for the harvest, the clause on “Family, community, and other stakeholders”.

DepEd’s core values and what they ask of a school head

DO 36, s. 2013 adopts four core values: Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan and Makabansa. Its enclosure notes that RA 8491 made them the national motto. The order lists the values without defining them; its enclosure asks what each one means “in the context of the Department of Education”. The BEDP 2030, which DepEd adopted through DO 024, s. 2022, answers with behavior statements for each value, and every one of them can be seen in a school head’s conduct.

Core value BEDP behavior statements What it can look like in a school head’s week (examples)
Maka-Diyos “Expresses one’s spiritual beliefs while respecting the spiritual beliefs of others”; “Shows adherence to ethical principles by upholding truth” Report enrollment, attendance and learner results as they are, even when they look bad. Keep your own faith your own, and plan school activities that respect every faith and none.
Maka-tao “Is sensitive to individual, social, and cultural differences”; “Demonstrates contributions toward solidarity” Learn the names and circumstances of your learners at risk. Settle a quarrel between teachers in private before it divides the faculty.
Makakalikasan “Cares for the environment and utilizes resources wisely, judiciously, and economically” Spend school funds only on what the SIP needs, fix leaks and broken fixtures early, and keep the school grounds green and safe.
Makabansa “Demonstrates pride in being a Filipino; exercises the rights and responsibilities of a Filipino citizen”; “Demonstrates appropriate behavior in carrying out activities in the school, community, and country” Lead the flag ceremony on time, vote, and keep partisan politics out of school events. Raise disagreements with policy through DepEd’s channels.

The core values also reach your performance rating. The revised OPCRF that school heads use defines core behavioral competencies as competencies “upholding the DepEd’s core values and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees pursuant to RA 6713”, and adds: “They represent the way individuals embody and live the values of the organization and the civil service” (DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, para. 4(b)(v)). One of them, Self-Management, includes behavior that “takes into account personal goals and values congruent to that of the organization” (DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2015, Part II). Your personal values are not rated, but whether your conduct fits DepEd’s is. Every indicator and the rating scale are in the guide to DepEd core behavioral competencies.

Maka-Diyos in a public school

The first core value raises the hardest question for a public school head with a strong faith. Five rules frame the answer.

  • The Constitution. “The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable” (1987 Constitution, Art. II, Sec. 6). Religion may be taught in public elementary and high schools only “At the option expressed in writing by the parents or guardians”, within class hours, “by instructors designated or approved by the religious authorities of the religion to which the children or wards belong, without additional cost to the Government” (Art. XIV, Sec. 3(3)).
  • The Code of Ethics. “A teacher shall not engage in the promotion of any political, religious, or other partisan interest” (Art. II, Sec. 5). A teacher “possesses freedom to attend church and worship, as appropriate, but shall not use his position and influence to proselyte others” (Art. III, Sec. 8).
  • The BEDP. Maka-Diyos is expressing one’s spiritual beliefs “while respecting the spiritual beliefs of others”.
  • The PPSSH. Its principle of inclusivity affirms diversity “arising from, but not limited to, religious, cultural, linguistic, and gender differences”.
  • DepEd’s rules on teaching religion. When parents ask in writing, “The principal or school head shall accommodate said request by providing or sourcing the needed teacher/instructor”, whom the religious authority designates. The classes run “during regular class hours only and not before or after class time, nor during recess time”, no learner attends without the parent’s written application, and learners who do not take them stay “under the supervision of their respective class adviser”. A school head who violates the order faces “appropriate disciplinary sanctions” after due process (DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2009, items 1(c) to (h) and 1(k)).

Read together, they draw a clear line. Your faith may shape your character, your patience and your sense of calling. It may not become a requirement for learners or teachers, a test of loyalty, or a reason to favor one group. A school head can make Maka-Diyos visible through honesty, care and respect for every faith, and must accommodate religious instruction that parents request in writing, on the terms the Constitution and DO 49, s. 2009 set.

The ethical standards that apply to you as a person

Your values are your own, but four written standards apply whatever they are.

Standard Whom it covers What it asks of the person
RA 6713, Secs. 2 and 4(A) All public officials and employees Discharge duties “with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest” (Sec. 2), and observe eight norms of conduct (Sec. 4(A))
Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers Teachers, including persons with supervisory and administrative functions (Art. I, Sec. 2) “behave with honor and dignity at all times and refrain from such activities as gambling, smoking, drunkenness and other excesses, much less illicit relations” (Art. III, Sec. 3); “professional courtesy, helpfulness and sympathy towards teachers and other personnel” from school officials (Art. VII, Sec. 1)
DepEd Order No. 047, s. 2022, as amended by DepEd Order No. 049, s. 2022 DepEd officials and employees “Refrain from engaging in any activity or any relationship that may impair one’s ability in making objective decisions”; “Desist from any act that may compromise one’s integrity as a government employee and that may compromise the honor of the DepEd” (item 2)
The revised OPCRF Heads of schools, among other heads of offices Six core behavioral and three leadership competencies, rated each year (DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex A, Part II)

The eight norms of RA 6713 are commitment to public interest, professionalism, justness and sincerity, political neutrality, responsiveness to the public, nationalism and patriotism, commitment to democracy, and simple living. The guide to RA 6713 for school heads gives a school example of each, with gifts, conflicts of interest and internal control.

Two of these standards reach into private life. The Code of Ethics speaks of dignity “in all places at all times”, not only in school. DO 049, s. 2022 governs social media “for personal use” too: DepEd officials and employees “Shall not unduly post online attacks against fellow DepEd employees” and “Shall not disparage DepEd” (item 3). DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026 builds on RA 6713 and DO 049, s. 2022: the Standardized Code of Conduct for personnel that the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development is to develop must ensure that personnel “Uphold professionalism and ethics per RA No. 6713 … and DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2022” (Secs. VI.A.2(a) and IX.A.3(c)).

The Code of Ethics has teeth. A violation of any of its provisions is a ground for revocation of the professional teacher’s license, suspension from practice, reprimand, or cancellation of a temporary or special permit (Art. XII, Sec. 1).

When your values disagree with a policy

A school head with a strong philosophy will sooner or later disagree with a DepEd policy. The Code of Ethics says what to do. A teacher “shall make it his duty to make an honest effort to understand and support the legitimate policies of the school and the administration regardless of personal feeling or private opinion and shall faithfully carry them out” (Art. VI, Sec. 1). Disagreement goes through channels: a teacher transacts official business “through channels”, except that when reforms the teacher advocates “are opposed by the immediate superior”, the teacher “shall appeal directly to the appropriate higher authority” (Art. VI, Sec. 3). Your philosophy shapes how you carry out a policy and what you propose for its review. It does not decide whether you carry it out.

A philosophy of education for a school head

The PPST defines a philosophy of teaching as “Teachers’ views, understandings and conceptualization of teaching and learning” (DO 42, s. 2017, Glossary). Its strand 7.1 grows across the four teacher career stages:

PPST career stage Strand 7.1 indicator
Beginning 7.1.1 Articulate a personal philosophy of teaching that is learner-centered.
Proficient 7.1.2 Apply a personal philosophy of teaching that is learner-centered.
Highly Proficient 7.1.3 Manifest a learner-centered teaching philosophy in various aspects of practice and support colleagues in enhancing their own learner-centered teaching philosophy.
Distinguished 7.1.4 Model a learner-centered teaching philosophy through teaching practices that stimulate colleagues to engage in further professional learning.

The PPSSH has no strand on philosophy, but it builds on the PPST. It describes aspiring school heads as equipped with exceptional teaching or leadership skills of PPST Career Stage 3 or 4, the Highly Proficient and Distinguished stages, or with equivalent qualifications and experience. At those stages the philosophy is no longer only your own: you “support colleagues in enhancing their own learner-centered teaching philosophy” (7.1.3) and “stimulate colleagues to engage in further professional learning” (7.1.4). A school head’s philosophy of education is a teaching philosophy that has grown into a way of leading teachers.

Teachers have been rated on it. Under DM 089, s. 2025, Proficient teachers were rated on indicator 7.1.2 and Highly Proficient teachers on 7.1.3 in SY 2025-2026, as non-classroom observable indicators (Tables 3 and 4). DM 089’s list for SY 2026-2027 turns to strand 7.4, professional reflection and learning to improve practice (7.4.2 and 7.4.3), but DepEd’s transition guidance of March 3, 2026 (DM-OSEC-OUHRODI-2026-0001) says a separate issuance will govern the PMES from SY 2026-2027; as of November 6, 2026, it has not been issued. A school head who supervises these teachers reads their philosophies and reflections, and does it better after writing their own.

The floor that law and policy set

A public school head’s philosophy is free in its reasons but not in its direction. Four texts set the floor.

Question your philosophy answers What law and policy already say A prompt for your own answer
Whom does the school serve first? “In all our decisions and actions, we put the Filipino learner first” (DO 36, s. 2013, Encl.); the PPSSH principle that “the learner is the heart of educational supervision” Which learners in your school are easiest to overlook, and how will you keep them in view?
Who can learn? The curriculum “shall be learner-centered, inclusive and developmentally appropriate” (RA 10533, Sec. 5(a)) What do you do when a learner falls behind?
How do learners learn? The curriculum “shall use pedagogical approaches that are constructivist, inquiry-based, reflective, collaborative and integrative” (RA 10533, Sec. 5(e)) What have you seen work for learners who struggle?
What is schooling for? Educational institutions “shall inculcate patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights”, “strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral character and personal discipline, encourage critical and creative thinking” (1987 Constitution, Art. XIV, Sec. 3(2)) Which of these does your school do least well?
What is the teacher’s role? “Teachers facilitate learning and constantly nurture every learner” (DO 36, s. 2013, mission) How do you want teachers to feel after you observe a class?
What is the school head’s role? “Administrators and staff, as stewards of the institution, ensure an enabling and supportive environment for effective learning to happen” (DO 36, s. 2013, mission) What will you protect teachers’ time from, and what will you ask of them?

RA 12322, which lapsed into law on August 2, 2026, rewrote Sec. 5(g) of RA 10533 so that the curriculum follows “the approach deemed most effective by the DepEd” instead of a required spiral progression. It left the other paragraphs of Section 5 untouched, so (a) and (e) still read as quoted above.

A belief that some learners cannot learn, or that discipline means humiliation, is not a philosophy a public school head may act on. Sec. 5(a) requires an inclusive curriculum, and DO 006, s. 2026 bans “Corporal punishment or any measures that are physically, sexually, or psychologically harmful, degrading, humiliating, abusive, or violent” (Sec. VII.B.1).

An example of a school head’s philosophy statement, built from the six answers:

I believe every child who enters our gate can learn, and that a child who is not learning is telling us something about our teaching, the child’s day or the child’s home before it tells us anything about the child. Children learn by doing, asking and talking, so I want classrooms where they do most of the work and teachers watch closely. Teachers grow the same way, so I visit classrooms to learn alongside them, not to catch them. My job is to protect teaching time, find what each teacher needs, and keep every decision tied to what it does for learners.

Seeing yourself as others see you: the Johari window

Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham published the Johari window in 1955, in the Proceedings of the Western Training Laboratory in Group Development of the University of California, Los Angeles. Its name joins their first names, Joe and Harry. The model asks two questions about any part of your behavior or character, whether you know it and whether others know it, and sorts the answers into four areas.

Area Known to you Known to others In a school head’s practice (example) What changes it
Open Yes Yes You and your teachers both know you return feedback on lesson plans within a day. Grows as you share what you are working on and ask for feedback
Blind No Yes You think your post-observation talks are supportive; teachers leave them feeling judged. Shrinks when you ask for feedback and act on it
Hidden Yes No You are unsure how to read the school’s liquidation reports and have told no one. Shrinks when you tell a mentor or your rater
Unknown No No How you would lead the school through a two-week closure after a typhoon Shrinks as you take on new work and reflect on it with others

The Johari window is not a DepEd instrument, but it explains a limit of the one DepEd does require. Indicator 4.1.1 asks for a self-assessment “using the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads”. A self-assessment shows only what you know about yourself, the open and hidden areas. The blind area, often where a school head’s leadership affects teachers most, appears only when someone else tells you.

DepEd’s systems already open several of these channels.

Channel Who gives the feedback Where it goes Source
OPCRF, Phase IV Your rater, who “shall discuss and provide qualitative comments, observations, and recommendations” on your competencies Part IV-B, the Individual Development Plan: competencies you “rarely” demonstrate become development needs DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex B, item 36
The NASH The assessment itself, which DepEd calls “a developmental assessment tool” to “identify areas for improvement” The Individual Development Report, sent to your DepEd email DM 069, s. 2025, paras. 2 and 12
Coaching and mentoring “experienced and proficient school principals” Your own plan; see the guide to mentoring aspiring school heads DM 069, s. 2025, para. 13
Teachers, staff and parents The people who see you work every day Your own plan No set form

The OPCRF guidelines then ask you to “Identify the development needs”, “Set goals for meeting the development needs”, prepare action plans, implement them and evaluate (DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex B, item 37). That is PPSSH indicator 4.1.2 in practice. The OPCRF guide explains the form and its four phases.

Asking for feedback that helps

  • Ask about one behavior. “When I observe your class, what helps you and what does not?” gets a usable answer; “How am I doing?” does not.
  • Ask two or three people who see you work. Include at least one who does not owe you a rating or a favor.
  • Make it safe. Thank the person, ask one follow-up question, and do not argue. A school head who punishes honest feedback receives none again.
  • Act and say so. Tell the person what you changed. That moves the item from your blind area to your open area.
  • Share with judgment. Opening your hidden area means sharing your own intentions and doubts. It never extends to confidential information about others: the Code of Ethics requires a teacher to “hold inviolate all confidential information concerning associates and the school” (Art. V, Sec. 4).

The Johari window self-assessment on NASH Reviewer applies the four areas to the five PPSSH domains, so you can see where you most need feedback.

Looking after the person in the role

The Code of Ethics asks that “every teacher shall be physically, mentally and morally fit” (Art. II, Sec. 3). Government now gives time for it. Under Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular No. 01, s. 2026, the Wellness Leave Policy, government officials and employees may take a Wellness Leave of up to five days a year. DepEd Order No. 002, s. 2026 sets how eligible DepEd officials and employees, including those in schools, take it (paras. 1 and 2; Secs. II and VI.1(a)). The rules that matter most:

  • It may be taken for “mental health care, physical wellness activities, or a general break from work” (Sec. VI.1(d)).
  • It may be taken for up to three consecutive days at a time, or on separate days (Sec. VI.1(c)).
  • It is filed at least five days ahead, except in emergencies, when it is filed on return (Sec. VI.1(f)).
  • It is “non-cumulative, non-commutable to its monetary equivalent, and forfeited if not availed within the calendar year” (Sec. VI.1(g)).
  • Information on an applicant’s mental health condition is confidential (Sec. VI.1(e)).

When a teacher takes it, the school head must keep classes going and “specifically assign relievers”, who may receive teaching overload pay (Sec. VI.1(h)). Separately, DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026 grants teachers a two-day wellness break within the End-of-Term Block, during which they “shall not be assigned instructional, administrative, or extracurricular duties”, except in emergencies or by exigency of service (para. 24). The paragraph names teachers, not school heads. Protecting those two days is part of the “general welfare of human resources” that strand 4.7 of the PPSSH asks of you.

A school head who never rests teaches the staff that rest is not allowed. Taking your own leave, and planning the school so that it runs without you for a few days, is part of leading by example.

What this means for school heads

  1. Write one page about yourself. Put your personal leadership vision (three or four sentences), your four core values as behaviors you can be seen doing, and your philosophy of education (your six answers). Keep it in your own files. It is yours, not the school’s.
  2. Test it against the floor. Check each sentence against DO 36, s. 2013, RA 10533, Sec. 5(a) and (e), RA 6713 and the Code of Ethics. Rewrite any sentence that would let you exclude a learner, favor a group or bypass a policy.
  3. Assess yourself against the PPSSH. Rate yourself strand by strand, as indicator 4.1.1 asks. Mark the strands where you have no evidence.
  4. Ask for feedback. Ask two or three colleagues about one behavior each, as above. Compare their answers with your own rating to find your blind area.
  5. Put the gaps in a plan. A serving school head uses Part IV-B of the OPCRF. A teacher preparing for the NASH uses the Individual Development Plan of their own PMES rating and, after the assessment, the Individual Development Report; takers placed in the NASH Targeted Development Program or Professional Development Intervention also have a coach (TDP and PDI guide).
  6. Review it once a year. Phase IV of the OPCRF cycle, after the last day of classes, is a natural time. Note what you changed and what you learned, which is indicator 4.1.3 at Career Stage 3.
  7. Live the values in public. Report results honestly, keep partisan politics out of the school, accommodate religious instruction only as parents request it in writing, answer parents’ letters on time, and take your wellness leave. Teachers learn the core values from what the school head does, not from the wall.

What a school head may not do: replace the DepEd VMV with a personal or school-made one; require religious activity or use the position to win converts; engage in “any electioneering or partisan political campaign” (1987 Constitution, Art. IX-B, Sec. 2(4)); put personal views above a lawful policy; or post online attacks on fellow DepEd employees.

These steps serve strand 1.1 (vision, mission and core values) in PPSSH Domain 1, strands 4.1, 4.2 and 4.7 in PPSSH Domain 4, and strand 5.1 on relationships in PPSSH Domain 5. The domain’s description asks for relationships “anchored on mutual trust, honesty, openness, respect, and commitment”.

Frequently asked questions

Can a public school have its own vision and mission?

No. DO 36, s. 2013 makes the DepEd vision, mission and core values “the only vision, mission, and core values adopted by all offices and schools” (para. 2). RA 9155 gives the school head authority over the school’s mission, vision, goals and objectives only “Consistent with the national educational policies, plans and standards” (Sec. 7(E)), so the school sets its own goals and objectives in the SIP.

What are the four DepEd core values?

Maka-Diyos, Maka-tao, Makakalikasan and Makabansa, adopted by DO 36, s. 2013 from the national motto in RA 8491. The BEDP 2030 (DO 024, s. 2022) describes each in behavior statements, such as “Shows adherence to ethical principles by upholding truth” for Maka-Diyos and “Cares for the environment and utilizes resources wisely, judiciously, and economically” for Makakalikasan.

What should a school head’s philosophy of education include?

It should say whom the school serves first, who can learn, how learners learn, what schooling is for, and what teachers and the school head are for. The PPST asks every teacher for “a personal philosophy of teaching that is learner-centered” (DO 42, s. 2017, strand 7.1), and RA 10533 requires a curriculum that is “learner-centered, inclusive and developmentally appropriate” (Sec. 5(a)). A school head’s version adds how they will help teachers grow their own philosophies (PPST indicator 7.1.3).

What is the Johari window in school leadership?

It is a model by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham (1955) that sorts what is known about a person into four areas: open, blind, hidden and unknown. A school head uses it to see why self-assessment, which PPSSH indicator 4.1.1 requires, is not enough: the blind area shows only through others’ feedback, such as the OPCRF Phase IV discussion (DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex B, item 36).

Does the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers apply to principals?

Yes. Its Article I, Section 2 covers “all other persons performing supervisory and/or administrative functions in all schools” from preschool to secondary level. Article VII adds duties for school officials, such as showing “professional courtesy, helpfulness and sympathy towards teachers and other personnel” (Sec. 1) and attending to “the professional growth of all teachers under them” (Sec. 3).

Sources

DepEd issuances

Laws and professional codes

Civil Service Commission issuances

  • CSC Memorandum Circular No. 01, s. 2026, Wellness Leave Policy, as cited in DO 002, s. 2026, paras. 1 and 2.

Research

  • Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham, “The Johari Window, a Graphic Model of Interpersonal Awareness,” Proceedings of the Western Training Laboratory in Group Development (Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles, 1955).

Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: DepEd Orders No. 49, s. 2009, No. 36, s. 2013, No. 2, s. 2015, No. 42, s. 2017, No. 024, s. 2020, No. 024, 047 and 049, s. 2022, and No. 002, 006 and 009, s. 2026; DepEd Memoranda No. 069 and 089, s. 2025; DM-OUHROD-2024-0586; DM-OSEC-OUHRODI-2026-0001; CSC Memorandum Circular No. 01, s. 2026; the 1987 Constitution; Republic Acts No. 6713, 8491, 9155, 10533 and 12322; the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers; Luft and Ingham (1955).