Angara promises to work with all sectors to ensure high-quality education

MANILA. Senator Sonny Angara has been appointed as the new secretary of the Department of Education. Photo from Angara’s Facebook page

SENATOR Jose Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has pledged to work with all sectors of society to ensure that Filipino students have access to quality education.

In a statement on July 2, 2024, Angara expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for appointing him as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

“I am deeply honored and grateful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the confidence he has placed in me by appointing me as Secretary of the Department of Education. I accept this significant responsibility with humility and a deep sense of duty,” he said.

“I pledge to work with all sectors of society, including my predecessor, Vice President Sara Duterte, to ensure that every Filipino child has access to quality education,” he added, noting that he wants to build on Duterte’s achievements.

Angara will replace Duterte, who resigned as education minister on June 19, 2024. Her resignation will take effect on July 19, 2024.

Angara expressed its willingness to work with the entire administration in helping Filipino students, supporting teachers and improving the overall quality of education in the country.

“Education is the foundation of our nation’s future and only through collective effort can we face the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead,” he said.

“Together, with the involvement of all stakeholders, we will strive to create a better future for our country through education,” he added.

Meanwhile, DepEd welcomed Angara’s appointment, stating that it looks forward to working with the new leadership as part of its continuous and relentless efforts to improve the quality of basic education in the country.

Other Angara senators also praised Angara’s nomination.

Senator Joel Villanueva stated that the future of the country’s education system looks bright under Angara’s leadership, highlighting his unwavering passion and dedication in promoting educational reforms in the country.

Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Angara is more than qualified for the job, expressing confidence that he will bring with him his brilliant financial mind (he was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee) and a heart for the youth (he was a member of the Second Congressional Education Commission (Edcom II)).

“The Senate is losing an invaluable member, but the nation, and especially our children, are gaining an excellent education advocate. I wish Secretary Sonny all the best and look forward to seeing how he improves our nation’s educational landscape in the years to come,” Zubiri said.

Angara holds a Masters in Law from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines, and a Bachelor of Economics from the London School of Economics.

His legislative work includes the Universal Access to Quality Higher Education Act and the Expanded Basic Education Act of 2013 (K-12).

Malacañang said Angara has received support from major educational organizations.

It also received endorsements from both the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (Cocopea) and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (Pacu).

Meanwhile, Electoral Commission Chairman George Garcia said Angara’s Senate seat would remain vacant “unless the Senate calls a special election.”

“In this case, unlike the House of Representatives across the country, there is no need to oversee senators’ constituencies,” he said.

Senate President Francis Escudero had earlier said that if Marcos decided to appoint Angara as vice president’s secretary for education, they would simply wait until the 2025 by-elections. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)