MANILA – Five high-ranking Department of Education (DepEd) officials have tendered their resignation ahead of Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara’s assumption as Education secretary on Friday.
According to outgoing DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Michael Poa, he already submitted his resignation to give Angara a free hand on who he wants to appoint.
“I think it is only appropriate to give the incoming Secretary of Education a free hand to choose the people that will be part of his team,” Poa said in a statement.
Aside from Poa, others who resigned were Undersecretary for Administration Nolasco Mempin, Assistant Secretary for Procurement Reynold Munsayac, Assistant Secretary for Administration Noel Baluyan, and Assistant Secretary Sunshine Fajarda.
The five DepEd officials were all appointees of Vice President and outgoing Education secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio when she assumed the leadership two years ago.
Angara has been chosen by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to be the new Education secretary with the impending exit of Duterte-Carpio.
Duterte-Carpio announced her resignation as DepEd Secretary on June 19. Her stepping down will be effective on July 19.
The Vice President said her resignation as DepEd Secretary was not due to weakness but out of concern for teachers and students.
Aside from DepEd, Duterte-Carpio also resigned as vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict./PN
