The Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara expressed his joy over the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday, as the latter laid out his plans for the education sector.
In a Facebook post, Secretary Angara shared his appreciation for the President's focus on the issues facing the education system in the Philippines, including his emphasis on solutions to alleviate the concerns of students and teachers.
“Nakakatuwa ang pagbigay ng kakaibang atensyon sa isyung pang edukasyon at sa kaginhawaan ng ating mga guro at estudyante,” Angara stated.
During his SONA, Marcos highlighted various educational agendas and reforms that his administration plans to implement over the coming years.
The President committed to investing in education this year to ensure accessible learning opportunities for students and to make work easier for teachers.
"Sa lahat ng mga pinahahalagahan ng administrasyon, ito pa rin ang nasa rurok,” he stressed.
Marcos vowed to support teachers by reducing their administrative workload, transitioning paperwork to digital formats, and incentivizing those who improve student outcomes, rather than merely rewarding those with the highest pass rates.
He also addressed the long-standing demand from teachers regarding overtime pay, stating that they will now receive appropriate compensation not only for overtime work but also for teaching overloads.
Angara expressed his satisfaction with the President's speech, saying, "I didn't think the President could top last year's SONA. But somehow, he has. Simpleng lenguahe at simpleng mensahe na tutok sa pangangailangan ng karaniwang Pilipino".
