November 9, 2023
VP Sara Duterte attends a Senate hearing on Thursday, where the office of the Vice President announced it will no longer pursue its request for P500 million confidential fund for next year, its budget sponsor said. The OVP and the Dept. of Education both headed by Duterte requested a combined P650 million in confidential funds.
INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Wednesday said Vice President Sara Duterte’s resignation as Education chief was “inevitable,” given her family’s feud with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and her silence on several issues.
READ: Vice Pres. Sara Duterte resigns as DepEd secretary, says Palace
“I believe her resignation was inevitable from the time her father, [Former President Rodrigo Duterte], and her siblings and allies started attacking [President Marcos] and members of the First family,” Escudero said in a statement.
“Its inevitability became more pronounced when she was already silent and not expressing her support on certain policy issues,” he added.
Among the policy issues Escudero cited were the West Philippine Sea, the Bagong Pilipinas Hymn, and the cases against known Duterte ally and wanted sex offender Apollo Quiboloy.
The lawmaker wished Duterte well in her new “journey” as the country’s vice president.
Next DepEd chief should be experienced, says Pimentel
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III stressed the need for Marcos to “immediately prepare to appoint the next secretary of education.”
“This person must be someone who has worked with or in the department for decades,” said Pimentel.
“Someone familiar with how the department works as well as with the problems of the education sector and educational system. Someone who has dedicated his or her life to education and can show the track record for it,” he added.
When asked about Duterte’s future political plans, meanwhile, Pimentel responded: “I have no comment.”
Known Duterte-ally Senator Bato dela Rosa, on the other hand, expressed admiration for Duterte and said he believes her decision was “well thought of.”
“I believe it was a choice that took into consideration the best interest of our people, as has always been characteristic of her. Of that I am sure,” said Dela Rosa in his own statement.
He then expressed hope that Duterte will “find peace” in her current situation, stating that he will always support her regardless of her future political plans, function and position.
“I fully trust that she will continue to fulfill her mandate as the Vice President of the Philippines and help uplift the lives of every Filipino. After all, beyond her titles, it is her integrity that defines her leadership. And it is this integrity that she shall always uphold,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Sherin “Win” Gatchalian, who also heads the Senate committee on basic education, expressed regret over Duterte’s resignation as DepEd chief, citing all the department’s projects which may be affected by her departure.
Among these projects, said Gatchalian, include its ongoing actions and proposals against bullying and the K-10 Matatag curriculum.
Gatchalian also expressed hope that current undersecretaries in the department will be retained.
“Ako personally nanghihinayang ako sa mga naumpisahan (personally, I feel regretful about the things that were started),” said Gatchalian.
“I just hope na ‘yung mga Usecs na andoon will stay the same, dahil sila talaga ‘yung workhorses, sila ‘yung nasa field and regular meetings and consultative meetings natin, so I just hope na maiwan sila dahil magagaling sila at nabigyan na ng direction,” he added.
(I just hope that the Usecs who are there will stay the same because they are the real workhorses. They are the ones in the field and in our regular and consultative meetings, so I just hope they remain because they are competent and have already been given direction.)
Regarding the so-called “Uniteam,” the electoral alliance between Marcos and Duterte which Gatchalian was also a part of when he ran for senator during the 2022 national and local elections, the Senator stated that it is still too early to predict what will happen to the alliance’s future.
Duterte resigned Wednesday afternoon as DepEd chief and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, effective July 19.