Staying put

I am glad that our most trusted and approved top official remains at the helm of the Department of Education (DepEd). It is where Vice President Sara Duterte belongs. Her indefatigableness as a public servant is second only to her devotion to family. Inday Sara is a mother to the core despite juggling three official designations and heading an international organization. Like any multi-tasking parent, she finds time to tutor her children and monitor their progress.

And the secretary extends this maternal, nurturing approach to Filipino learners. Her leadership continues to inspire the women and men who make up the DepEd. Was it not just a few months ago that President Bongbong Marcos Jr. praised Inday Sara’s stewardship of the biggest agency with the largest constituency and having the most difficult mandate? He was particularly enthusiastic about the Duterte-initiated MATATAG Curriculum. The new framework aims to decongest basic education competencies by focusing on the well-being and inclusive learning of the students, the capacitation of teachers and accelerating the delivery of services.

The result: DepEd emerged with the highest satisfaction (84 percent) and trust (82 percent) ratings in the first quarter of 2024. Only two percent expressed dissatisfaction and distrust with the government agency (Octa Research). It is the public’s reward for her hard work amid the relentless persecution of two-faced allies and friends.  

Asset

The competent, healthy and incorruptible VP is an asset to the Marcos administration. That is why she is the darling of public opinion polling, give or take a few popularity rating dips. A rational leader will not let the most appreciated Cabinet member go – at least at this juncture. I am somehow relieved that PBBM is still backing the VP up.

For a moment, I thought Marcos Jr. would cave in to the pressure exerted by First Lady Liza Araneta, his presidential cousin and allies in Congress. I assumed FLLAM’s diatribe against Inday would finally goad him to terminate his second in command. Of course, PBBM (well-versed in Machiavellian philosophy) would not dare publicly take sides between the overprotective wife and the land’s most popular official. His public ratings are on a slump. Marcos Jr. cannot afford to lose Sara’s huge support base, particularly in Mindanao and the Visayas.

Throughout the hullabaloo, I was impressed by the VP’s display of emotional intelligence. Right off the bat, she acknowledged FLLAM’s right to free expression. She reacted with grace and maturity towards the outburst of Madame and the attendant resignation calls from bootlicking politicians. But true to her no-nonsense character, Inday brought back the national conversation to what matters most: governance problems.

How can the Marcos administration utilize its resources to alleviate the current socio-economic woes of the Filipinos? The spiraling cost of essential goods and services, shortage in water and power supply, proliferation of illegal drugs and threats of criminality, terrorism and insurgency burden the people. The country is also involved in the West Philippine Sea crisis. A military confrontation between China and the Philippines aided by the United States could lead to the next world war, according to Gordon Chang, an expert from the Gatestone Institute. Again, the foremost casualty of this unwinnable war against a nuclear-weapon state would be the innocent Filipino civilians. 

In other words, Sara is 100-percent focused on assisting the President to address the nation’s problems. She has no time for personal drama. She does not want to wallow in petty politics like lesser politicos and their hangers on.

Hardworking

On a personal note, I do not see any reason for Inday Sara to apologize to Madame Liza. She did not do anything wrong. I was there at the Davao Prayer Rally. My speech was cut short since the organizers told me to acknowledge the arrival of Senator Imee Marcos. I saw Inday and Manang Imee greeting each other with a hearty laugh, as customary. Being good friends, they were both in a jolly, chatty mood.

Knowing Sara, she will never treat any drug accusation against PBBM as a laughing matter. Which person in the right mind would do that? Sara would never dare disrespect the President. Unfortunately, what the TV camera caught did not tell the complete story. I am sure that whatever Inday and Manang were laughing about had nothing to do with the “bangag” remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte. Clearly, Madame Liza was misinformed on the matter. And that her reaction is a product of her long-standing dislike of the VP.  

Speaking of Madame, how long can PBBM disregard the First Lady’s wishes to have Sara removed from the administration? In the latest Publicus Asia survey, one in five Filipinos believe that Liza can dictate the President’s decision. It may explain why a third of respondents from Mindanao are now regretting their presidential choice in 2022. A few respondents also named House Speaker Martin Romualdez as someone who can influence PBBM’s course of action. I must stress that most respondents do not think the President is anyone’s puppet. Still, there is a growing public perception that the highly-influential and powerful Madame Liza is the alleged ringmaster in Malacañang. Since July 2022, the Palace grapevine has been rife with allegations of FLLAM’s meddling in presidential appointments.

With Liza and Martin treating Inday as an enemy, can PBBM still retain her in the Cabinet? These are my personal conjectures. First, the President is considering the right and opportune time to part ways with Sara. It is inevitable. But it cannot happen now. Firing the best-performing Cabinet secretary would anger the Duterte supporters. Remember, there will be a mid-term election next year. So, the Marcos camp hopes more pro-administration senators will get elected. Unlike the Lower House, the Senate is not a stranglehold of the Marcoses and Romualdezes. 

Second, the anti-Sara faction in government might finally get the President’s support to impeach the VP. The Lower House can initiate this from 2024 to 2028. The Constitution allows one impeachment proceeding against an impeachable official per year (Article XI, Section 5). Third, Marcos, Jr. knows Sara will eventually resign from the Executive and seek a higher post. So, he will just bid his time.

With the presidential election far off on the horizon, I expect the VP to work harder. She does not want to fail the expectations of the electorate that gave her a commanding mandate in 2022.