The first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr offers the Filipinos a glimpse of what we should expect from the government, what we should prepare for, and what we should do to help the administration not only achieve its development agenda but also support its initiatives for the Philippines to become strong and a stable country in Asia, able to respond to the needs of the Filipinos even in the face of anxieties brought by disputes and disagreements happening between some countries that could hurt our economy.

The Office of the Vice President will be working alongside the Office of the President in the pursuit and realization of its development agenda, ensuring that the interest and the welfare of the Filipino people will come first before everything else.

It is laudable that this administration’s direction is working towards the continuation of the gains of former President Rodrigo Duterte, and the Office of the Vice President fully supports this.

As Vice President and Secretary of the Department of Education, the nation can expect my 100 percent commitment to the achievement of the plans and programs that both offices have framed for the sectors that we serve.

For DepEd, to address the enduring impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on the learning outcomes of our children and youth, we are called to implement the long-term remedy detailed by the Basic Education Development Plan 2030 (BEDP 2030) of the previous administration — and this requires for DepEd to collaborate with the national government, local government units, local communities, the private sector, and international partners to pool resources to increase investments in education that will benefit the entire education sector, particularly our learners.

Meanwhile, the OVP will be rolling out its social services programs to provide inclusive financial empowerment to women and members of the LGBTQ+ sectors by providing them with economic opportunities through the Mag-Negosyo Ta ‘Day — inspired by a program I initiated in Davao during my time as City Mayor.

It’s encouraging that President Marcos sees the importance of OVP programs that seek to address the needs of marginalized individuals, groups, sectors, and communities.

The days coming will be daunting for the administration of President Marcos and the Filipinos. But the nation, the Filipino people, is behind the President and his government.

There is nothing that we cannot surmount if we continue to work together, united in our desire to see that the Philippines become a stronger nation.

Daghang salamat.

Sara Z. Duterte
Vice President of the Philippines
Secretary of the Department of Education
July 25, 2022