VP Sara highlights teachers’ role in country’s development
AS the celebration of National Teachers’ Month kicks off, Vice President (VP) and Education Secretary Sara Duterte yesterday stressed the important role educators play in the country’s development.
In a statement, Duterte said, “Katuwang ng pamahalaan ang ating mga guro sa paghubog ng mga kabataang Pilipino para makamit nila ang kanilang mga pangarap sa buhay at maging mga propesyonal at produktibong kasapi ng komunidad na magdadala sa bansa sa kinabukasan na hinahangad ng mga Pilipino.”
She lauded Filipino teachers for their dedication, courage, and professionalism.
“Pinapatibay ng inyong pagmamahal sa bansa at pagmamahal sa kapwa Pilipino, lalo na sa mga kabataan ang mga pundasyon ng inyong propesyon… Ang inyong integridad ang nagsisilbing gabay ng mga kabataan upang yakapin nila ang mga turo at pang-aral na magiging sandigan nila para sa pagtupad ng kanilang pangarap at makamit ang tagumpay sa buhay. Saludo po ako mga Ma’am at Sir,” the education chief said.
She praised her great-grandmother Fortunata Gonzales-Roa, who served as a public school teacher at the Cabadbaran South Central Elementary School in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte, for many years.
“The mother of former President Rodrigo Duterte, our lola, Soledad Roa Duterte, was an educator herself who put up a school for Lumad children in Davao City when she was still alive,” Duterte said.
“And, as a child, I could still remember the many times I sat at the table with my mother, Elizabeth, to check the test papers of her students in the Philippine Women’s College in Davao. Ngayon, hayaan po ninyo akong bigyang-diin ang mahalagang papel ng lahat ng kawani ng DepEd para sa ating mithiin na mabigyan ng edukasyon ang ating kabataan,” she added.
Duterte pointed out that the teachers “deserve respect and admiration for their undying dedication to guiding and helping our learners, parents, and guardians when the whole world had to shift to home learning drastically because of the pandemic.”
Duterte also said the country saw how the teachers worked with the barangay officials, youth leaders, local government leaders, the private sector, and our development partners to be able to deliver the modules, help facilitate community learning hubs, and provide additional learning resources to the children.
“Napatunayan at nasaksihan natin na dumaan man ang maraming bagyo, lindol, baha, at kung ano-ano pang sakuna, ang ating mga guro ay babangon at babangon para sa edukasyon ng mga bata. At nang buksan natin muli ang ating mga paaralan para sa in-person learning, muling nanguna ang mga guro para masigurado na magtatagumpay ang ating mga hakbang. Hindi ninyo inalintana ang pagod, ang hirap, ang kritisismo, at pati ang takot na patuloy na dala ng pandemiya. Bilib ako sa tibay ng puso ninyo,” she added.
She vowed that the government and the DepEd (Department of Education) would strive to address the problems and woes of the teachers.
“Pagmamahal, respeto, at suporta — ang mga ‘yan po ang dapat nating ibigay at ipakita sa ating mga Pilipinong guro, ang dangal ng sambayanang Pilipino,” VP Duterte said.
