THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
We join the many sectors and organizations who have expressed their elation over the recent appointment of Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara as the new Secretary of Education.
We were preparing to endorse his appointment when we overheard talks that President Bongbong Marcos Jr. seriously considered naming him to the top post at the Department of Education, replacing Vice President Sara Duterte. The President had moved fast before we could join the crescendo of endorsements for his appointment to one of the most vital posts in the Cabinet.
Senator Sonny began his public service career as a representative of the province of Aurora. That was also where he first displayed his passion for and commitment to the education sector. His list of to-dos during his term as congressman was to ensure there were funds to build hundreds of classrooms in his district.
In our book, a political leader who prioritizes education is a true blessing to his or her constituency.
Senator Sonny is a good choice because he was reared by two outstanding educators: his father and mother.
His father, the late Senate President Edgardo “Edong” Angara, was a respected pillar of the country’s legal community. However, what brought him to the national limelight was his stint as president of the University of the Philippines. While studying at the State U for our master of arts degree in public administration, we learned from some faculty members that Senator Edong did much to help strengthen its general education program. He was also responsible for putting in place UP’s famous seven-year medical honors curriculum.
Of course, it was during his stint at the helm of UP that its men’s basketball team won the championship at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) in 1986. The feat was evidence of Senator Edong’s charisma and unique ability to generate support for a cause.
The UP Community continues to rave about the late senate president’s savvy for rallying the UP alumni and raising funds for scholarships, infrastructure development, and the UP faculty.
What earned him his place in the pantheon of immortals in the Senate were the bills he passed which changed the landscape of Philippine education. Senator Edong will be remembered as the author of the laws that created the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA). He is also recognized as the Father of Free High School education in the country.
We do not know much about the background of Senator Sonny’s mother, Gloria Manalang-Angara. We do know that she, too, is a teacher whose passion is history. That dedication to education and history found clear expression in her stint as chairperson of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Foundation.
We recalled the dedication of Senator Sonny’s parents to the cause of education because their lives and achievements are the basis of our confidence in the exceptional ability of the new education secretary. In Senator Sonny’s veins flow the blood of dedicated education champions. We believe that he will carry on the legacy of service to this sector that has been passed on to him.
He has already provided proof of his ability and commitment beyond that supplied by his DNA. During the present congress, he had already sired several laws that are expected to make significant impacts on the education sector. Among these are the Excellence in Teacher Education Act, the Inclusive Education Act, the Second Congressional Education Commission Act, and the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act. These pieces of legislation attest to the fact that the new DepEd Secretary Senator Sonny assumes the top education post at a difficult time. Education programs and policies instituted under recent administrations are now facing serious questions and challenges.
For example, there appears to be gnawing doubts as to whether or not the K-to-12 program is serving its purpose. There is also a growing howl over concerns that the quality of education in our country has continued to slip. The welfare of teachers and the continuing need to get the school calendar to adapt to ever-changing climatic conditions are also among the controversies that have to be addressed.
These challenges call for someone who can rally multi-sector support and generate consensus.
The President has found one in the new Secretary of Education.
We wish Senator – now Secretary – Sonny Angara all the best in his role. We are happy for him. He has been given the opportunity that he is indeed his educator-parents’ worthy son.
More than that, we are happy to have a champion of education at the helm of DEPED. ([email protected])