DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 June)—Amid the growing conflict between their families, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte has resigned as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
In a statement released by Malacañang, it said that Duterte went to the Palace to personally tender her resignation effective July 19 after two years of being a member of the Cabinet of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
The Palace said that Duterte declined to state her reason for her resignation but her decision came after the growing tension between the Duterte and Marcos’ families.
“She will continue to serve as Vice President. We thank her for her service,” the statement reads.
Shortly after Malacañang’s announcement of the Vice President’s resignation, Duterte appeared before members of the press where she confirmed seeking an audience with the President to tender her resignation.
She said that she has given her 30-day notice of resignation to ensure a proper and orderly transition for the benefit of the next secretary.
“Mga kababayan ang aking pagbibitiw ay hindi lulan ng kahinaan kundi dala ng tunay na malasakit para sa ating mga guro at mga kabataang Pilipino (To my countrymen, my resignation is not a sign of weakness but a sign of true concern for our teachers and Filipino youth),” Duterte said.
She said that she would continue promoting the quality of education that is appropriate for Filipinos although she would no longer lead the DepEd as secretary.
Duterte said that improvements were introduced in DepEd under her leadership, such as giving the teachers “30-day no mandatory or voluntary tasks” break and removing their administrative tasks to unburden the teachers “to bring them back to our classroom, and to allow them to focus on teaching.”
“To the teachers—the cornerstone of any education system—we have worked tirelessly to address your concerns through the National Education Academy. We have provided avenues for teachers’ training and professional development,” she said.
Marcos Jr. and Duterte were running-mates under the so-called “Uniteam Alliance” that brought them landslide victory during the 2022 national elections.
There is, however, a tense rivalry between their families, with former President Rodrigo R. Duterte calling Marcos Jr. as drug addict while Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte criticizing the current Marcos Jr. administration in several rallies of Hakbang ng Maisug. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
