Sara pays tribute to Briones at DepEd turnover

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday formally assumed her concurrent post as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Former secretary Leonor Briones officially turned over to Duterte the DepEd leadership during the joint farewell and welcome ceremony at the agency’s central office in Pasig City.

In her first official address as DepEd chief, the Vice President paid tribute to Briones and the rest of the DepEd officials and staff for the work that they did over the past six years, especially during the pandemic.

“And as I take on the task of being the next secretary of the Department of Education, I take inspiration from you – from your courage, dedication, your commitment, your integrity, selflessness and your grace,” she said.

“But I will also take on the task with the reminder that we shall continue to find ways to improve basic education in terms of access, equity, quality, resiliency and governance – to produce learners who can achieve their full potential as individuals, who are responsible, skilled, knowledgeable, productive and determined to achieve their dreams for themselves and for our country,” Duterte added.

Prior to the handover, Briones delivered her final remarks as education chief, highlighting the gains achieved during her term.

The DepEd also paid tribute to three former undersecretaries who served with Briones: Nepomuceno Malaluan, Diosdado San Antonio and Josephine Maribojoc.

Duterte has yet to announce her choice of DepEd officials.

Duterte also met virtually with representatives of different private school organizations.

In her message, the Vice President committed to address the issues facing private schools, especially with regard to the impact of the pandemic.

She also asked the private school groups for their indulgence and support as they study and explore appropriate measures to address challenges in the education sector.

“Our task here is to protect our children and ensure that quality education is made accessible for them – whether they are enrolled in private or public schools, whether they are in the cities or the countryside. We look forward to forging a productive partnership with you,” she added.

F2F classes

Meanwhile, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan is backing the call for the resumption of face-to-face (F2F) classes, saying that the lack of in-person classes will leave scarring effects on human capital and the country’s future economic growth.

“The cost of that scarring on human capital is not going to affect us now but is going to affect the future of these children. When they join the labor market five years, 10 years from now, they will not be as competitive as our neighbors who have already opened up and provided better access,” he said.

“If that human capital is degraded then, that capacity is weakened and so is the potential of the economy to take advantage of the opportunities. That is what we need to worry about,” Balisacan added. – Louella Desiderio