After a few days of testing the waters, President Marcos finally welcomed Senator Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara IV as the new member of his official family, naming him as the incoming Department of Education (DepEd).
News of his appointment immediately went rounds, generating mostly positive feedback from both the education and the legislative sectors. Here is a quick rundown of key reactions to the announcement of Angara as the new DepEd chief:
‘Welcome to DepEd’
DepEd Undersecretary and Spokesperson Michael Poa said their agency is looking forward to working with Angara. They welcomed his appointment with hopes he will continue improving the quality of basic education in the country.
“The DepEd community looks forward to working with the new leadership as we continue our relentless pursuit towards improving the quality of Basic Education in the country,” said Poa in a Viber message.
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) also sent its well wishes to Angara through a post on social media. They congratulated him and expressed confidence in his leadership, acknowledging his capacity towards implementing educational reforms.
Angara served as Commissioner of EDCOM II, where he championed key initiatives in finance and governance. He also pushed for better resources to support nutrition and feeding programs in schools and the assessment of senior high school and vocational graduates, according to EDCOM II.
Other notable organizations that approved of President Marcos’ top choice for the DepEd post include the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) and the National Research Council of the Philippines.
‘Well-deserved’
In the Senate, where Angara spent most of his political career, messages of congratulations poured. Senate President Francis Escudero led the chamber in wishing him well, considering the gargantuan task ahead.
“My heartfelt congratulations to Sen. Angara for a well-deserved appointment,” Escudero said. “I am sure he will do a good job as DepEd Secretary with his EdCom background and familiarity with current issues,” added Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino.
Other fellow lawmakers who vouched for his qualifications include Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Joel Villanueva, Ramon Revilla, Jr. Joseph Victor Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Nancy Binay, and Loren Legarda.
“I am confident that his integrity, long experience in government service, and his ability to think outside the box will be assets to the department he is about to lead,” said Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.
‘Willing collaborators’
The members of the House of Representatives echoed the same sentiments. Speaker Martin Romualdez said they are “eager to collaborate with him to realize our vision of ensuring every Filipino has access to quality education.”
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro also commended his appointment, adding hopes that Angara will work towards addressing longstanding issues plaguing the education sector.
“We expect Secretary Angara to utilize his insights from EDCOM 2 to implement much-needed reforms in our education system. The crisis in education requires immediate and decisive action. We in ACT Teachers Partylist are ready to work with the new DepEd leadership for the benefit of our learners, teachers, and the entire education sector,” Castro said.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) through its national chairperson Benjo Basas also hoped Angara would spare DepEd from politics. Despite his ‘risky’ appointment, however, the TDC said it is willing to engage with the new secretary. –With Rolando Ng III