Senator Sonny Angara (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
ILOILO CITY – Two Ilonggo leaders rallied behind Senator Sonny Angara following his appointment as the new head of the Department of Education (DepEd), replacing Vice President Sara Duterte, who will relinquish the Cabinet post on July 19.
Rep. Julienne Baronda said she had known Angara when she was still president of the Sangguniang Kabataan of Iloilo City.
She said she knows how passionate and dedicated Angara is to serving the public.
“I know very well, too, how he values education as a platform to help people uplift their lives. I have no doubt he will champion initiatives that would improve the state of our education,” she said in a statement on Wednesday.
Baronda praised President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for “choosing a qualified, experienced, and visionary leader to shepherd the Department of Education into the Bagong Pilipinas.”
Mayor Jerry Treñas, in a separate statement, expressed satisfaction over Marcos’ decision, since they worked together as legislators in the House of Representatives.
"He has a very good work ethic. He understands the needs of the LGUs when it comes to education. He has my full support as Education Secretary," Treñas said.
Boy Scouts welcome Angara’s appointment
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) also welcomed Angara's appointment in a post on its Facebook page on Wednesday.
“As an ex-officio member of the BSP’s National Executive Board, Sec. Angara will promote and develop the scouting program as it contributes to nation-building through youth development,” the BSP said.
The DepEd Secretary automatically becomes an ex-officio BSP National Executive Board member.
BSP national president, Agusan del Norte 2nd District Rep. Dale Corvera, said Angara’s appointment is a boon to the country's scout movement.
Corvera said he sees future collaborations with the DepEd under Angara to strengthen school scouting activities and educate more young people in character and nation-building.
“We are hoping that in the process of instituting reforms in the education sector, Secretary Angara will also see, among others, the important role scouting plays in the country's education system since scouting in the Philippines is school-based,” he said. (PNA)
