'It's harder than I thought': Marcos says on appointment of new DepEd chief

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. acknowledged the challenge of appointing a new secretary for the Department of Education (DepEd), stressing the need for a thorough and careful selection process.

"It turns out it's harder than I thought so, because we have to absolutely get it right. So I'm giving myself more time," Marcos said on Saturday when asked about the status of the appointment.

Marcos mentioned the various expectations for the new DepEd secretary, including being an educator, an administrator, or a historian, which he said are "valid concerns."

The president said he has reviewed a lot of curricula vitae of individuals considered for the role. 

"Marami tayong magagaling (We have many talented people). It's the one we have to choose somebody who has an understanding of what is important in terms of being an educator, but then we also have to find the same person also has to have those qualities that they can galvanize this very, very large bureaucracy," Marcos said.

The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), an education reform advocate group, has urged Marcos to choose an experienced and competent individual as the next DepEd secretary. 

PBEd proposed four "exceptional leaders" for Marcos to consider, particularly Sen. Sonny Angara, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Jose Fracisco Benitez, and education and community development advocate Milwida Guevara.

The president on Thursday said that he would name his pick for the new DepEd secretary before end of the week after Vice President Sara Duterte's resignation from the position.

Duterte resigned from her roles as DepEd secretary and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on June 19.

Her resignation, which came in the midst of strained relations between her family and the Marcoses, is to take effect on July 19.