Angara confirmation ‘easy,’ says lawmaker

DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara —Joseph B. Vidal/Senate Social Media Unit

MANILA, Philippines — A member of the Commission on Appointments (CA) expects newly installed Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara to sail through his confirmation hearing because he qualifies for the job.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, Assistant Minority Leader at the CA, said in a statement on Sunday, “We expect Secretary Angara’s trouble-free confirmation.”

The CA’s committee on education, chaired by Sen. Raffy Tulfo, is set to deliberate on Angara’s ad-interim appointment on Aug. 7.

READ: Angara gears up for challenges as DepEd chief

But Pimentel also expects lawmakers to ask Angara about the Philippines’ ranking in an international assessment that measured the performance of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science literacy.

Apart from Angara, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac is also anticipated to face for a second time the CA’s committee on labor, employment, social welfare, and migrant workers chaired by Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez.

Cacdac was bypassed by the CA in May due to lack of material time. President Marcos reappointed Cacdac as head of the Department of Migrant Workers. —Jeannette I. Andrade