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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Saan banda?': Castro debunks VP Duterte's claim of 'correcting' DepEd budget

'Saan banda?': Castro debunks VP Duterte's claim of 'correcting' DepEd budget

Published Aug 9, 2024 08:45 am

At A Glance

  • ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said on Friday, Aug. 9, that Vice President Sara Duterte had "misplaced priorities" during her two--year tenure as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), especially in handling the department's budget. 

20240701_103207.jpgACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (left), and Vice President Sara Duterte (PPAB, Facebook)

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said on Friday, Aug. 9, that Vice President Sara Duterte had “misplaced priorities” during her two--year tenure as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), especially in handling the department’s budget.

This, as Duterte claimed that she attempted to “correct” DepEd’s budget but failed to receive enough support to do so.

"Saan banda? Ang ginawa lang niya ay humingi ng confidential funds gamit ang DepEd na di naman nito mandato at hanggang ngayon ay di pa din maayos na naipapaliwanag,” Castro said in a statement.

(Where is it? All she did was ask for confidential funds using the DepEd, which is not its mandate and until now the fund usage has not been properly explained.)

“Wala din siyang ginawa para itaas ang budget ng DepEd sa UN (United Nations) standards o katumbas ng 6 percent ng GDP (gross domestic product) ng bansa," she continued.

(She also did nothing to improve DepEd's budget based on UN standards or equal to 6 percent of the country's GDP.)

During the budget deliberations last year, DepEd went under heavy scrutiny from lawmakers, with most of the criticism directed at the agency’s P150-million confidential fund.

The House of Representatives later realigned this fund, alongside that of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), into agencies involved in securing the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Castro, a House deputy minority leader, insisted that Duterte failed to address critical issues in the education sector.

She notes that classroom shortage still persists, with over 150,000 classrooms still needed all over the country.

The Vice President also supposedly failed in improving the salary of teachers and education support personnel.

“Ang ginawa nya ay pinamanmanan ang mga guro, pinatanggal ang mga educational decorations sa classrooms at lalo pang pinahirapan ang mga guro at mag-aaral sa Matatag curriculum na hindi man lang sila nakonsulta," added Castro.

(What she did was spy on teachers, removed educational decorations from the classrooms, and made it even harder for the teachers and students in the Matatag curriculum, which they were not even consulted about.)

Vice President Duterte, who exited the Marcos Cabinet last July 19, said that one of the reasons she resigned as DepEd secretary was the improper handling of the government’s budget.

However, Castro challenged this remark and claimed that Duterte was only motivated by personal interests rather than genuine concern for the education sector.

"Huwag na siyang magpalusot sa paresign sa DepEd, alam naman ng karamihan na hindi lang niya nakuha ang gusto nya kaya ngayon ay nagmamaktol siya," she asserted.

(She shouldn’t make excuses on why she resigned from DepEd, most people know that she just didn't get what she wanted so now she's complaining.)

Related Tags

Department of education (DepEd) Sara Duterte FRANCE CASTRO
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