By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
So, President Marcos ended June without a new Secretary of the Department of Education after the Palace declared three days earlier that the Chief Executive was appointing one at the end of the week. “It turns out it’s harder than I thought because we absolutely have to get it right,” he said.
Well, at least the voice inside him has exactly identified the problem of his administration: getting it right.
Perhaps, that’s the cue for us not to be so excited about the next DepEd chief. It can be another hit-and-miss appointment.
Villanueva as DepEd Chief?
I don’t know if Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) Party-list Rep. Eddie Villanueva is on that shortlist; probably not.
But for a congressman, he has an interesting plan to file a bill requiring every school in the Philippines to display the 10 Commandments. Villanueva, better known as Brother Eddie, underscored that the Biblical commandments are “not a mere religious tenet” exclusive to Christianity.
Throughout history, Christians and non-Christians alike have acknowledged the universal applicability of the Ten Commandments in molding good citizens, and, in that sense, Rep. Villanueva is correct. To quote him more accurately, “It is more than just a set of religious teachings; the Commandments are a guide for nation building and social cohesion.”
No more CIF
One thing the ongoing selection process should take note of — if ever it listens to advice from outside the Marcos dining room — is that the next Education chief should be totally absent of the gall to propose confidential and intelligence funds.
We already know from Inday Sara how quickly P125 million of those funds can be burned in less than three weeks — without any significant improvement in the condition of our schools, the quality of our basic education, or the benefit to our teachers.
Three’s company
Speaking of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, she just bared a great family idea: fielding three Dutertes in the mid-term polls to spice up the Senate in 2025.
Imagine, Pulong, Baste, and former president Digong, running their triumvirate in the Upper House of Congress!
And since three in a family is such a great idea in an august body of 24 representing a nation of 120 million Filipinos, why don’t we have three Cayetanos, three Estradas, three Villars, and maybe three Marcoses in the Senate as well? Still sound like a good idea?
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