The Department of Education (DepEd) has directed its offices as well as schools nationwide to ensure that Philippine flags are flown at half-mast in honor of former president Fidel V. Ramos (FVR).
DepEd said that the Philippine flag in all of the offices of the agency and schools shall be flown at half-mast until after the burial of FRV who passed away on Sunday, July 31 at the age of 94.
The entire agency is also mourning the passing of FVR. “We offer our sincere condolences and prayers to the Ramos family in this time of sorrow,” DepEd said in a statement issued late Sunday night.
DepEd also paid tribute to Ramos saying that he will be “remembered for championing education.”
During FVR’s term, DepEd noted that he signed various education bills into law such as the Science and Technology Scholarship Law (RA 7687), the Dual Training System Act of 1995 (RA7686), the CHED Law (RA 7722), the TESDA Act (RA 7796), as well as a national system of excellence for teacher education under RA 7784, among others.
DepEd said that the country also lost an “advocate of education” who believed that “while growth in material terms is necessary and gainful, such material growth cannot be achieved without the corresponding effort to increase the people’s intellectual capacity and moral strength. This is the task of education which is the right of every citizen to receive, and the responsibility of the government to provide”.
The agency added that it is also “one with the Filipino nation in remembering his legacy as a leader of this country.”