Briones goes to work at DepEd

Secretary Leonor Briones during turnover ceremony in DepEd office, Pasig City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

Having been in government before, Education Secretary Leonor Briones knew on Thursday to immediately buckle down to work, tackling her department’s 2017 budget to ensure the funds translated to actual goods and services needed by schools nationwide.

“At the end of the day,” Briones said, “our goal is to provide our public school system with sufficient teachers, school buildings, computer kits, textbooks and school supplies.”

In a statement, Briones, who was national treasurer in 1998-2001, said that while nearly P440 billion had been set aside for the Department of Education budget this year, it was still insufficient.

“This allocation is still inadequate in terms of international standards, which require that 6 percent of gross domestic product has to be spent on education,” she said.

“We need to focus on the 2017 budget … because the budget has to be submitted within 30 days after the opening of the regular session.”