Palace condoles with kin of Department of Education official

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang yesterday extended its condolences to the family of the Department of Education (DepEd) undersecretary for finance and administration Francisco Varela, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in Antipolo, Rizal over the weekend.

“Undersecretary Francisco Varela served with distinction and contributed significantly in implementing reforms in the education sector anchored upon good governance and the judicious utilization of public funds,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said. 

Coloma commended Varela for leaving his lucrative career in the investment banking sector to join government service when President Aquino took over in 2010.

“He opted to join government at the start of the Aquino administration after carving an exemplary track record in the academic and investment banking sectors,” Coloma said.

“His untimely death is a big loss to the public service and we extend our condolences to his bereaved family,” he added. 

Varela died when his motorcycle skidded while on the main highway in Tanay and Baras towns. Varela was pronounced dead on arrival at the Padilla District Hospital in Antipolo City. He was 47.

The police said a certain Raymond Mallari brought Varela to the emergency room around 10:45 a.m. Saturday.

Mallari reportedly told the hospital emergency staff that the victim figured in a fatal accident somewhere in Sitio Mariloque in Tanay.

Valera was an investment banker by profession. He graduated magna cum laude with a mathematics degree from Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City.

Valera was former chief operating officer and president of AsianBank Capital and Investment Corp. He was also a former head of strategic planning and corporate communications of the AB Capital Group.

The DepEd expressed its condolences to the family of Varela.

“We are one with his family in this difficult time and one with the nation in mourning the loss of an extraordinary public servant,” DepEd said.

“Usec. Varela has been very instrumental in forging ahead education reforms, particularly in ensuring that every cent in the education budget is spent judiciously. He was a staunch advocate of anti-corruption efforts in the department and played a very important role in instituting reforms to ensure that ethical standards are observed in all transactions involving the agency,” the statement added.