
QUIT CALL PRESSED
THE spokesperson of former Vice President Leni Robredo has also told VP Sara Duterte to step down as Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) if the demands of the job overwhelm her.
In a statement, former Akbayan Party-list Representative Barry Guttierez, ex-spokesman of Robredo, chided Duterte for sticking her nose outside of the scope of her responsibilities as Education Secretary when she opposed the country’s re-entry to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and her statement criticizing President Marcos Jr.’s decision to restart the peace negotiations with communist rebels.
“It’s quite evident that Vice President Sara Duterte has been actively involved in matters that are beyond her responsibilities as the Secretary of Education,” Gutierrez said.
“Ang kanyang pakikisawsaw sa mga isyu na labas na sa kanyang responsibilidad katulad ng pag-allow sa International Criminal Court na mag-imbestiga, pagsasagawa ng peace talks sa pagitan ng gobyerno at ng communist rebels, pakikialam sa foreign relation sa pamamagitan ng pangunguna sa pagbati sa anibersaryo ng China at mga pagsasagawa ng ribbon cutting sa mga pribadong kumpanya ay sadyang nakakabahala,” he added.
Gutierrez’s statement follows that of former Sen. Leila De Lima’s who said that Duterte should just resign her Cabinet post if she will just continue publicly opposing President Marcos Jr.
“Oo, pangkaraniwan na para sa mga politiko na manghimasok at mangialam sa iba’t-ibang isyu at aktibidad, but the extent of Vice President Duterte’s involvement in issues outside her primary function raises questions about her focus and priorities as Secretary of Education,” Gutierrez said.
He said the education system is in “crisis” in the Philippines as of the present, and Duterte should just focus on how to address them.
“Maraming problema ang kinakaharap ng sektor ng edukasyon ng ating bansa, mula sa kakulangan sa guro, imprastraktura at learning materials hanggang sa effectivity ng curriculum ng pampublikong paaralan,” Gutierrez said.
“Base sa ulat ng World Bank nitong 2023, 9 out of 10 sa mga Pilipinong mag-aaral sa edad ng sampung taong gulang ay kulang ang kakayahan sa pagbabasa. Patunay ito na nasa isang matinding education crisis ang ating bansa,” he added.
“If Vice President Duterte finds the demands of the Secretary of Education overwhelming or incompatible with her interests and skills, it might be prudent for her to consider stepping down from this role.”
Earlier, De Lima also told Duterte to resign, saying “She should resign as DepEd Sec if she keeps on publicly opposing BBM’s Cabinet policy decisions that have nothing to do with DepEd. She cannot eat cake and keep it too.”
“Akin to her preemptive position, re: ICC, the problem with VP Sara’s statement against the peace talks is this – She is still (a) member of Cabinet. Peace talks is not within the core competence of her portfolio as DepEd Sec,” the former senator said.