Amid political tension and education sector challenges, calls are growing to retain former Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), following his recent appointment to the post left vacant by Vice President Sara Duterte.
Angara stepped into the role during a period of political volatility, marked by Duterte’s abrupt resignation and heightened friction between the Duterte and Marcos factions.
This period coincided with a controversial P10-billion budget cut to the Department of Education by the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Martin Romualdez. The reduction in funding — primarily targeting digital education tools — was met with widespread criticism from teachers’ groups across the country.
With public education already facing severe challenges, the budget slashing left Angara with what some observers described as a “crippled” agency. Despite the difficult starting point, education stakeholders and political analysts are pointing to Angara’s track record as reason to give him a fair shot at the helm.
The Angara family name has long been associated with educational reform and policy. The late Senate President Edgardo Angara, Sonny’s father, was instrumental in shaping national education programs.
The younger Angara, who served in the Senate for over a decade, also focused on education-related legislation and is respected across party lines for his consistent advocacy.
Angara’s recent political conduct has also been interpreted as a display of loyalty and restraint. He stood by his longtime ally, Senator Migz Zubiri, during the latter’s ouster as Senate President, yet avoided publicly criticizing the Marcos administration — a stance some see as proof that he can be both a team player in the Cabinet and a principled leader.
His appointment, if made permanent, could provide a rare moment of bipartisan support in a deeply polarized political climate. Observers argue that, if properly resourced and supported, Angara could be well-positioned to steer the department through reform and recovery.
