Presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced Wednesday night, May 11, that his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will be his education secretary once they assume posts.
Marcos said in his appearance before the media at his camp’s headquarters in Mandaluyong that Duterte, also the leading candidate in the vice presidential race, has agreed to take on the role.
“I think I am already authorized to announce the first nominee that we will be giving to the Commission on Appointments when the time comes should I be proclaimed. And that is that our incoming vice president has agreed to take the brief of Department of Education,” he said.
“So si Inday Sara, tinanong ko sa kanya kung kaya niya yung trabaho dahil mahirap ang trabaho ng Secretary of Education. Pero nag-agree naman siya,” he added.
Duterte-Carpio currently has over 31 million votes based on the partial vote count.
“At palagay ko, kasama na diyan, dahil she is a mother and she wants to make sure that her children are well-trained and well-educated. That’s the best motivation that we can hope for. So that is the first announcement that I can make that has come out of this process,” Marcos said.
Marcos Jr. faced the media after a meeting with his core team to discuss their transition plans after partial vote count showed he is leading with more than 31 million votes as of Wednesday.
He is expected to make more announcements in the coming days.
“Ang intensiyon ko is to hit the ground running, kung sakali mang matuloy ang proklamasyon later this month ay kailangan nakahanda na tayo… Each department, we have to talk to the specialist in that discipline, in that sector,” he said.
“For example, if we are going to talk about agriculture, we have to talk to all the best agriculturist, all the best workers in agriculture that we know, itanong natin, sino kaya ang puwedeng magaling. The same thing with all the other departments,” he added.
In a separate press conference earlier, Marcos camp spokesperson Atty. Vic Rodriguez thanked Marcos supporters, saying that Marcos’ lead “is a victory for all Filipinos, and for democracy.”
“To those who voted for Bongbong, and those who did not, it is his promise to be a President for all Filipinos… To the world, he says: ‘Judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions’,” he said, quoting Marcos.
Welcomed by Deped
In a statement, current education Secretary Leonor Briones said she and the department “are ready to work with her team for the orderly transition of DepEd leadership.”
“We will turn over the Basic Education Plan 2030, the first time that an outgoing administration will leave behind a medium-term plan. We are confident that DepEd will be in able hands and anticipate a continuity,” Briones said. – Report from Mela Lesmoras –ag
