Vice President Sara Duterte Responds to Criticism
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte firmly rejected claims that she was a failure as Education Secretary. She highlighted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally urged her to reconsider her resignation, a clear sign of his confidence in her leadership.
During an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte addressed the Palace press officer Claire Castro’s statement labeling her tenure at the Department of Education (DepEd) as “a complete failure.” She expressed confusion over the harsh criticism.
President Marcos Urged Her to Stay
Vice President Duterte recounted that when she submitted her resignation on June 19, 2024, President Marcos repeatedly questioned her decision. “I told him, I didn’t want to talk about why I was resigning. I mean, do I really need to ask that? Don’t you see what you’re doing to me? I’m not a masochist to just let myself be constantly attacked while working for you,” she said in Filipino.
She emphasized that the Department of Education consistently delivered results aligned with the administration’s goals. Despite this, she chose not to elaborate on her reasons for stepping down, which prompted the President to persuade her to stay.
Offers for Other Positions and Election Support
According to the Vice President, President Marcos even offered her other positions within his administration. More notably, he sought her assistance in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.
“So clearly, all his efforts were to make me reconsider my resignation. He said I could just stay on as DepEd secretary. He asked if I wanted to move to another position and told me to let him know. He even asked if I could help in the 2025 midterm elections?” Duterte shared in a mix of Filipino and English.
She argued that these actions contradict the notion that she was a failure. “Those are not the actions of someone who sees me as a failure. Those are the actions of someone who thinks he needs my work. So I don’t know where they’re coming from when they say I was a failure as Education Secretary,” she added.
Palace Criticism and Duterte’s Perspective on Education
Earlier on the same day, Palace press officer Claire Castro criticized Duterte’s leadership at DepEd, claiming she missed opportunities to implement reforms. Castro’s comments came after Duterte remarked that the country’s education system remains stuck at a “paper and pencil” level and is falling behind other nations.
Despite the criticism, Duterte remains firm in her conviction that the Department of Education made meaningful progress during her tenure. She continues to advocate for improvements in the education sector to elevate the system to global standards.
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