MANILA CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte met with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in a courtesy call on Wednesday afternoon.

Vice President Duterte thanked the government of Australia for providing trainings on transportation for Dabawenyo students when she was still mayor of Davao City.

Deputy Prime Minister Marles, who also sits as the Minister of Defense, also discussed the importance of security in enabling national development.

Speaking from her experience, the Vice President affirmed that her interest in security and development was ignited when she was still mayor because “the topmost priority in Mindanao is security and development.”

Duterte shared that during her second term as mayor, Davao City was also able to craft Peace 911, an anti-terrorism plan which was key to dismantling the communist rebel group in Paquibato District where it established a stronghold.

“My learning is that gaining peace was relatively easy, sustaining the peace is difficult,” Duterte said.

Duterte currently holds the rank colonel under the Reserve Command of the Philippine Army.

In the area of education, the two state leaders shared the significance of education in advancing progress.

Duterte, who is also the Secretary of Education, said she is challenged by the education folio and the systemic problems in basic education, especially budget.

She also shared that DepEd was willing to give technical assistance to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Education to uplift the quality of learners in the area.

The Australian Deputy Prime Minister’s itinerary includes a visit to the BARMM.

OVP Media