PBBM appoints Senator Angara as the new Education Secretary

 President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Tuesday that he is set to appoint Sen. Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara as the new Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).The President made the announcement during the 17th Cabinet Meeting in Malacañan, saying Angara has accepted to take on the position.

Sec. Angara

“Sonny has agreed to take on the brief of the Department of Education,” he said.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has an impressive educational background. He completed his basic education at Xavier School in San Juan, Metro Manila. Later, he attended Douai School in the UK. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations with honors from the London School of Economics. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines Diliman and a Master of Laws from Harvard University.

Angara will replace Vice President Sara Duterte, who resigned as Education Secretary last June 19, 2024. Her resignation will take effect on July 19, 2024.Angara has an extensive legislative history, having championed significant educational reforms since joining the Senate in 2013.

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With a Master of Laws from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics, his background positions him well to lead DepEd.

His prior legislative work includes the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act and the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (K-12).Angara also garnered support from key educational organizations. He received endorsements from both the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU).

President Marcos emphasized the critical role of the DepEd and the necessity for a leader capable of overseeing its extensive operations.

“DepEd is arguably the most important department given the crucial role of education,” said President Marcos.He acknowledged the challenging nature of the selection process, stating, “We have many excellent candidates.”The government expressed its appreciation to Vice President Duterte for her service. It anticipates a smooth transition with Secretary Angara’s leadership

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Enormous Challenge

Angara faces a tremendous challenge in the field of education, which includes addressing the underperformance of Filipino students in global educational assessments. According to a report by the World Bank, 9 out of 10 Filipino students aged 10 struggle to read basic texts. Beginning his political journey as the congressman of Aurora from 2004 to 2013, Angara, the son of the late Senate president and educator Edgardo Angara, was actively involved in advocating for the welfare of Filipino youth and educational reforms during his tenure in the House of Representatives. He played a key role as a co-author of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, also known as the K to 12 program, while serving in the lower chamber.

In 2013, Angara was elected as a senator and focused on introducing legislation related to the education sector. He also served as a commissioner of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) with the objective of addressing educational challenges.

As a commissioner of EDCOM II, Angara pledged to conduct a thorough evaluation of the K to 12 program.

"The collaboration between the DepEd and EDCOM 2 will involve a comprehensive assessment of the K to 12 program to suggest improvements to the curriculum. The DepEd has identified issues such as overcrowded content, missing or misplaced prerequisites for essential learning competencies, and a significant number of competencies requiring high cognitive abilities," Angara stated in his column for the Manila Bulletin in April 2023.

During Sara Duterte's term, she initiated the evaluation of the K to 12 curriculum in response to growing public demands for its revision or elimination. She committed to making the program more relevant to produce competent, job-ready, active, and responsible citizens. However, the review had not been completed by the time of her resignation.

Like the Vice President, Angara, a lawyer by profession, obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law and completed his Master of Laws at Harvard Law School in 2003.

- majait.net