The people who personally knew the controversial principal of Col. Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS), Venus Divinia Nietes, were surprised after the “sweet and loving” teacher they knew was now in hot water, having demanded that graduating students remove their togas.
It can be recalled that Nietes was facing an investigation after she caused a scene during the moving-up ceremony on April 15, 2025, after she insisted that togas were not part of the prescribed attire at the event.
Nietes was even heckled by one of the disappointed students and publicly debated with another teacher on stage.
“Lovely and Sweet”
A teacher who claimed to know Nietes personally was surprised by the ‘mutation’ of the principal.
“The viral principal…a close friend..sweet and so loving ( that’s how I know her before)…Ms.Venus Divinia Nietes….WHY ???(Why did you let yourself be overwhelmed by the position you have?) This is not all about Obedience …it’s all about Compassion and LOVE for the students…RESPECT BEGETS RESPECT !!!” said Irene Belarmino.
“Once a relatable mentor”
Herald Bebis, a former student of Nietes, said that he was also surprised by the incident, noting that he knew the principal as a “mentor” who knew how to make her students feel safe and supported.
“I didn’t just see the incident. I saw you. And it was difficult to reconcile the person in that video with the Ma’am Venus I once knew, we once knew; — the teacher who carried herself with grace and empathy, who knew how to listen, who was loved not only for being competent, but for being kind,” said Bebis.
“You were once that relatable mentor — the one who, despite the weight of authority, never made us feel small. You understood that teaching was more than just standing at the front of a classroom. You made us feel safe, supported, seen. You were one of those rare few who could make students believe in themselves. That’s why this moment is so heartbreaking. Because it doesn’t feel like you. And maybe that’s why I chose to write instead of rant. Because I still believe that the teacher we once knew is there — just hidden perhaps beneath the weight of administrative burdens, policy pressures, or other things we may never fully understand from the outside.
“Ma’am Neneng, this Holy Week offers us all a sacred opportunity. A pause. A moment to look inward. To reflect not only on what has happened, but on who we are and who we’ve always hoped to be — not just as educators or alumni, but as Christians, as Filipinos, as human beings. Perhaps this is the time to revisit those earlier years when your guidance was steeped in compassion, when your presence inspired, and when your voice comforted more than it corrected. Those years weren’t just memories — they were seeds you planted in many of us. They shaped the way we carried ourselves long after graduation.”
As of the time of writing, Nietes has yet to comment on the incident.