By Junex Doronio
WITH THE SEEMING IRREVERSIBLE DECIMATION of the once powerful PDP-Laban that was “hijacked” by former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, talks are reverberating in the lower chamber about the possible impeachment of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte for “betrayal of public trust.”
Reliable sources told Maharlika NuMedia that aside from possible arrest of the Vice President since she was also being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the “crimes against humanity” charges in relation to the bloody drug war.
In the July 17, 2023 report of Vera Files, VP Sara, Senators Bong Go and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa were named in ICC probe documents investigating the killings related to the drug war during the previous administration and when FPRRD was mayor of Davao City.
VP Sara’s name was mentioned as knowing and approving the killings when she was city mayor, a post that her father held for more than 20 years.
She was mayor from 2010 to 2013, and from 2016 to 2022.
Vera Files report further bared that a “person knowledgeable of the ICC probe said she could be issued a ‘summons’ by the ICC. If she would not comply with the summons, she would be issued a warrant of arrest.”
Now looms the possibility of VP Duterte’s impeachment with the “mass defection” of FPRRD’s PDP-Laban to the Lakas-CMD headed by Inday Sara’s arch political nemesis Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and to the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) which was the political vehicle of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in 2022 presidential polls.
“Impeachment is a numbers game and at this point, the Dutertes are losing their ‘magic’ in Philipines realpolitik and VP Sara could be impeached,” the same sources said.
This was bolstered on Wednesday when Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, PDP-Laban’s Deputy Secretary General for Mindanao, revealed that only four to five members are expected to remain in PDP-Laban as more members are expected to leave in the coming days.
He said at present there are 15 remaining members of the party in the House of Representatives from the original 65 at the start of the 19th Congress.
“Well, I’m still waiting for developments but I’m already weighing my options. Most probably, I’m also transferring to another party,” Pimentel hinted.
He admitted that some members decided to leave the PDP-Laban after FPRRD tagged the lower chamber as the “most rotten institution” in the government, notwithstanding the fact that the feisty former president was once a member representing Davao City’s 1st District, from June 30, 1998 to June 30, 2001.
Notably, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo — who was stripped of her post as Deputy House Speaker and widely known as political mentor of VP Sara — has still expressed his support for the Romualdez leadership at the 316-strong House of Representatives composed of 253 from congressional districts and 63 party-list representatives.
(AI/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
WITH THE RECENT STATEMENT OF STRONG SUPPORT of presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos for the beleaguered Duterte political family, Vice President Sara Duterte has expressed deep appreciation although she brushed off the speculation of an emerging “Inday Sara-Manang Imee tandem” in 2028.
The 67-year-old lady senator from Ilocos Norte came to the defense of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who earned the ire of congressmen when he called the House of Representatives the “most rotten institution” despite having been a member of the lower chamber when he served as Davao City’s 1st District Representative from 1998 to 2001.
“Noong 2015, ako ang una at kaisa-isang gobernador na nagdeklara ng suporta para kay President Duterte. At, kahit ako ang nag-iisang matitira, maninindigan ako para sa kanya,” Senator Marcos stressed.
However, she did not specifically comment on the House resolution supporting the leadership of her first cousin Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez who is seen as the likely contender for VP Sara in the 2028 presidential race.
Senator Imee was also Ilocos Norte’s 2nd District Representative from 1998 to 2007.
“Magpapasalamat ako kay Senator Imee Marcos sa kanyang patuloy na pagsuporta sa pulitika sa aming pamilya,” VP Duterte said in reaction.
She also expressed her appreciation to Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab who failed to sign the resolution supporting Romualdez.
“Congressman Sid Ungab and Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have my full support as a politician and as a friend,” VP Duterte noted.
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
DESPITE THE ANNOUNCEMENT of Vice President Sara Duterte that she would no longer pursue the P650-million total of confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) for next year, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III has warned that the bicameral conference committee might still restore it.
“Yan ang hindi magandang katotohanan – sa bicam, anything goes. Theoretically speaking, the bicam has the power to introduce and restore anything,” Pimentel said. “Kaya kung interesado kayo sa issue, hanggang dulo ang pagbabantay until pagreport ng bicam.”
On Friday, November 10, Pimentel called for continued vigilance as the bicameral panel composed of senators and congressmen will meet to introduce amendments to the proposed 2024 General Appropriations Act after it hurdles the upper chamber.
The two “houses” of Congress will then have to adopt the bicam committee report before it is sent to Malacañang for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s signature to become a law.
Pimentel expressed hope that Duterte’s allies in Congress will no longer push for the reinstatement of her confidential funds.
“Sinabi na sa harap namin na ‘Ayaw ko na yan.’ Huwag na kami mag-aksaya ng panahon magdebate na bigyan natin ang taong may ayaw. We shouldn’t waste our time anymore,” Pimentel said, referring to VP Duterte’s own statement on giving up the P650-million confidential funds.
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
NO CEASEFIRE with Vice President Sara Duterte despite her decision to give up asking for P650 million confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
This was the firm stance of House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro who said on Friday that VP Duterte’s decision to surrender her request next year will not stop calls for her to explain the P125 million confidential funds she spent in the last 11 days of 2022.
“Hindi pa rin ito magiging sagka para igiit pa rin na ipaliwanag ng Office of the Vice President itong P125 million na ginamit niya, ni-request nya,” Castro said in an online press conference.
The ACT Teachers party-list representative said she believes that Duterte decided to abandon her confidential funds because it had become unpopular.
“Kailangan nya pa rin ipaliwanag saan ito ginamit at …. kung hindi niya ito maipaliwanag at hindi niya ito nagamit ayon sa probisyon noong.… joint circular ng iba’t ibang ahensya ay dapat na ibalik niya,” Castro stressed.
To recall, the decision of the House of Representatives to strip VP Duterte’s P650-million confidential funds for 2024 was made “in the best interest of national security.”
Lawmakers crossed party lines to rally behind Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and castigated former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for making threats or insinuating harm against Castro.
“Napilitan na sigurong magdesisyon ng ganito ang Vice president dahil talagang naging mabaho itong confidential fund at talagang inayawan ng taumbayan,” Castro noted.
She added: “Isa pa rin sa nagtulak siguro sa naging desisyon ni VP na ayawan na itong confidential fund dahil nagiging unpopular na yung kanyang stand at nakita naman niya maging ang kanyang mga kaalyado dito sa Kongreso ay pumanig doon sa desisyon na i-abolish sa ahensya nya at sa ibang ahensya itong confidential fund,” Castro added.
Castro urged the House of Representatives to conduct an investigation regarding the use of confidential funds to pave the way for legislation prohibiting its use.
(AI/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
IN AN UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT, former President and incumbent House Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Thursday congratulated Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on his high trust rating.
“I would like to congratulate House Speaker and Lakas President Martin Romualdez on the recent OCTA Research Report reflecting a +6% increase in Trust Rating to 60%,” the former president said in a statement.
According to the third quarter survey of OCTA Research conducted from September 30 to October 4, Romualdez garnered a 60% trust rating and 61% performance rating.
Both the Speaker’s trust and performance ratings increased by 6% compared to the survey conducted in July.
Arroyo’s congratulatory remarks on MR caught many by surprise as the former president is widely known to be the political mentor of Inday Sara, monicker of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The younger Duterte was instrumental in installing FPGMA as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2018 after ousting Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez of Davao del Norte’s 1st district.
MR — as Romualdez supporters call him — is expected to run for president in 2028 in his bid to succeed his cousin President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
MR and Inday Sara are the main protagonists in the 2028 presidential race.
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
On All Souls’ Day Thursday, 02 November 2023, Vice President Sara Duterte has exhorted all Filipinos that there’s no better way to honor the memories of the departed loved ones than by leading meaningful lives.
At the same time, Duterte urged the Filipinos to pray for continued blessings for the Philippines and protection against calamities, wars, and “other forces.”
“May this become an opportunity for Filipino families to be together to celebrate the lives of the departed and offer earnest prayers for the salvation of their souls,” Duterte said.
She pointed out that the revered holiday allowed the country to pause in honor of all saints that reminded the world of “God’s compassion, mercy, and enduring love.”
“Let us honor the memories of those who have gone before us by leading more meaningful lives guided by the values of love, forgiveness, and peace,” she added.
The Vice President also called on the faithful to solemnly pray and reflect on their devotion and faith.
“A blessed observance to all. Ang lahat para sa Diyos, sa Bayan, at sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino. Shukran.”
Shukran is an Arabic word that means “thank you” and is also being used by Muslim Filipinos.
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
Even though Congress has removed her P650 million confidential funds for the upcoming year, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte expressed her unwavering determination to continue serving the public.
Inday Sara — as the Vice President is fondly called — said she has committed to making government services more accessible to the public with the establishment of 10 Office of the Vice President (OVP) satellite offices across the country.
“Patuloy ang Office of the Vice President sa layuning landasin ang mga hakbang tungo sa pag-unlad at pagbabago. Ang ating dedikasyon at serbisyo ay tunay na naglalayong mapalapit ang pamahalaan sa bawat mamamayan,” VP Duterte said in a Facebook post on Friday, Oct. 27.
The House of Representatives led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G Romualdez decided to strip the OVP and the Department of Education (DepEd) of confidential funds for 2024.
The OVP earlier asked for confidential funds of P500 million, while DepEd sought P150 million, for next year.
The lawmakers led by Romualdez decided to realign the confidential funds to the agencies with national security concerns.
Duterte recently held a meeting with officials from the OVP satellite offices in Bacolod, Isabela, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Cebu, CARAGA, Dagupan, Davao, Bicol, Tacloban, and Zamboanga.
She explained that the OVP satellite offices were established to deliver the Vice President’s projects and programs to more people.
Among these programs are Medical and Burial Assistance, Libreng Sakay, PagbaBAGo Campaign: A Million Learners and Trees, Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD), Disaster Operations, PanSarap Program, and Peace 911.
“Sa pamamagitan nito, hindi lamang nakasentro sa National Capital Region ang ating mga programa at naibabahagi rin natin ito sa mga malalayong lugar sa Pilipinas,” Duterte said.
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
JUST LIKE THE SONG “THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR”, presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos has justified her BFF (best friends forever) Vice President Sara Duterte’s request for P650 million in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) which she heads, saying they are needed to address domestic security threats.
At the same time, Sen. Imee minced no words when she saw politics as a motive behind the House of Representatives’ removal of Inday Sara’s CIF.
“Sinabi ko na noon pa na may halong galit. Hindi ko maintindihan sinong nagmamadali. Ang layo-layo pa ng 2028. Bakit binubugbog na yung frontrunner, ika nga,” the senator exclaimed when interviewed over radio station dzBB.
She added that the House’s move might be a way to sabotage Vice President Sara Duterte, who’s seen as a strong contender in the 2028 presidential race.
Ironically, Sen. Imee and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, who is widely believed to be eyeing the 2028 presidential race, are first-degree cousins.
The President’s older sister, however, was rumored to be the running mate of VP Duterte if ever she ran for president in 2028.
“Hindi naman lahat siguro totally pulitika, pero yung sobrang galit, sobrang personal eh. Nakakaduda,” the senator quipped in reaction to Inday Sara’s critics.
She said VP Duterte’s request for confidential funds could be reinstated as budget for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE).
“Kung talagang intel fund lang, edi tanggalin. Eh marami pang salita, marami pang banta. Nahahaluan ng kung anu-ano eh,” Manang Imee fumed. (ai/mnm)
By Vergel Labesig
VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte reiterated her commitment to uplift the lives of teachers, whom she called the “architects of dreams.”
“You play a vital role in shaping not only the minds of our youth but also in molding the future of our nation. You are the guiding lights that illuminate the path to knowledge, understanding, and personal growth,” Duterte said during this year’s celebration of National Teachers’ Day on Thursday, 5 October.
“As a way of ensuring that the Department of Education listens to your pleas, we have taken substantial steps to address some, if not all of your concerns,” she said.
Duterte noted that the Department ensured that this year’s school calendar includes a well-deserved break of 30 consecutive days, free from any activities that require volunteer work.
She added that an interim guideline is being prepared to significantly and immediately reduce the administrative workload of teachers.
“This will free up your time and energy, enabling you to fully focus on the education and development of your students,” Duterte said.
DepEd, she added, procured Personal Accident Insurance through the GSIS to provide coverage for all teachers and DepEd personnel. The insurance offers up to P100,000 for accidental death or dismemberment and up to P30,000 per year for medical reimbursement due to injuries sustained in accidents.
DepEd also recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the GSIS to guarantee a dedicated and exclusive lane for teachers in all its branches and establish a specialized team to ensure that teachers’ concerns are being given proper attention.
In cooperation with GSIS, DepEd will also come up with a Supplemental Health Insurance for teachers.
By Junex Doronio
SHORT OF SAYING THAT THE COUNTRY’S SECOND-HIGHEST OFFICIAL IS OBSESSED with confidential funds, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro has urged Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte to focus instead more on improving the quality of Philippine education.
Castro noted that Duterte seemed to be insinuating that she can no longer be scrutinized about how she will be spending her funds or else those who do so will be labeled an enemy of the state.
“Ibig sabihin nito na hindi na natin siya puwedeng matanong on accountability and transparency. Parang hindi siya makakakilos ng walang confidential funds for peace and order, national development and other related matters to her program,” Castro quipped in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.
During a speech in Butuan City on Wednesday, October 4, Duterte lambasted those who oppose the P650 million confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education.
“Kung sino man kumokontra sa confidential funds ay kumokontra sa kapayapaan. Kung sino ang kumokontra sa kapayapaan ay kalaban ng bayan,” Duterte said.
However, it can be recalled that Duterte also told senators during the OVP and DepEd’s budget briefing that she “can live without confidential funds, but of course, our work will be much easier if we have the flexibility.”
The House of Representatives led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez decided to realign the confidential funds to agencies protecting the West Philippine Sea and other agencies directly engaged in surveillance and intelligence gathering.
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
WITHOUT NAMING NAMES, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Thursday shot back at those who are opposing the P650-million confidential funds for her offices, saying they are “naturally assumed to have insidious motivations.”
Senator Risa Hontiveros has assailed the proposed P500 million worth of confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President and the P150 million confidential funds for the Department of Education (DepEd), which Duterte heads as Secretary, for fiscal year 2024.
“Anyone who attacks or undermines funds allocated for peace and order is naturally assumed to have insidious motivations. Such actions go against the protection and well-being of the citizenry. Those who seek to compromise the security and development of our nation jeopardize the very fabric of our society and hinder our progress,” the feisty second-highest official of the land boomed during the 122nd police service anniversary celebration of the Police Regional Office 13 in Butuan City.
She stressed the role of confidential funds in maintaining security by providing agencies with the necessary resources to address certain challenges.
“Tandaan ninyo—kung sino man ang kumokontra sa confidential funds ay kumokontra sa kapayapaan. Kung sino ang kumokontra sa kapayapaan ay kalaban ng bayan,” VP Duterte warned.
Earlier, Hontiveros asked Duterte to explain how the OVP used up its P125 million in confidential funds (CF) in just 11 days.
“Anong uri na naman ng magic ang ginamit nila para ubusin ang P125 million sa loob ng 11 araw? Hindi na lang ‘yan spending spree. ‘Yan ay paglapastangan sa mamamayan. Napakagaspang. P11 million kada araw? Daig pa ang may patagong credit card sa national budget. Hindi niyo pera yan!” Hontiveros blurted out.
In the latest survey of Pulse Asia, Duterte’s approval rating notably dropped from 84 percent in June to 73 percent in the September survey.
Some political observers told Maharlika NuMedia that the issue of confidential funds may have affected “Inday Sara’s popularity.”
(ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MULI NA NAMANG BINANATAN ni Senadora Risa Hontiveros si Vice President Sara Duterte at sinabing kahit noong mayor pa lang ito ng Davao City ay mahilig na ito sa “confidential funds” at sa katunayan ay gumasta ito ng P460 million kada taon mula 2019 hanggang 2022.
Ayon kay Hontiveros, ito ay base sa ulat ng Commission on Audit (COA) at lumabas na mga balita.
“Nakakalula ang halos kalahating bilyong confidential funds ng Davao City kada taon, kung ikukumpara sa confidential fund ng mga malaki at mayamang lungsod gaya ng Makati, Manila at Cebu na hindi man lang umabot sa P100 million,” puna ni Hontiveros.
Pinansin ng senadora ang hilig umano ni Inday Sara sa paggasta ng mga sikretong pondo na nag-umpisa mula noong mayor pa siya ng Davao City at nagpatuloy sa kasalukuyan bilang Vice President, sa kanyang paghingi ng kabuuang P650 million na confidential funds para sa Office of the Vice President (OVP) at sa Department of Education (DepEd) kung saan siya ang Kalihim.
Bagaman may “fiscal autonomy” ang mga local government unit (LGU) sa ilalim ng 1987 Constitution, tinanong ni Hontiveros ang katuwiran o ang kawastuhan ng Davao City noong mayor pa si Inday Sara na magkaroon ng “P460 million in annual confidential funds” mula 2019 hanggang 2022.
Di hamak na mas malaki ito kumpara sa taunang P10 million intelligence funds ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) mula 2013 hanggang 2023, dagdag ng oposisyon na mambabatas.
“While Davao City faces existing security challenges, are these challenges really so much worse than China’s incursions and abuses in our territorial waters? Inaagaw na rin ba ng Tsina ang teritoryo nila tulad sa West Philippine Sea?” tanong ni Hontiveros.
Kanyang idinagdag na babanggitin niya ulit ang kuwestiyonableng paggamit ng confidential and intelligence funds sa Senate plenary debates sa mungkahing 2024 budget.
“Ang pera ng taumbayan ay hindi ATM ng mga pulitiko na basta-basta pwedeng gastusin at ubusin,” diin pa ni Hontiveros. (ai/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
COULD THE UNFULFILLED P20 PER KILO OF RICE and confidential funds cause the tumbling down of approval ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte?
In the latest survey conducted by Pulse Asia in September this year, it can be noticed that from 80 percent in the June survey, Marcos’ approval rating fell to 65 percent, while Duterte’s dropped from 84 percent to 73 percent in the same period.
“Although the President and the Vice-President continue to enjoy majority approval scores at the national level and across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, both experience significant erosions in their respective approval ratings during the period June 2023 to September 2023,” Pulse Asia said in its report.
The President’s approval rating of 65 percent – just 15 months into his six-year term – is only one percentage point away from the lowest approval score that former president Rodrigo Duterte got in a Pulse Asia survey.
It can also be noted that FPRRD got an approval grade of 64 percent in the polling firm’s September 2021 census, and it was Rodrigo Duterte’s lowest rating as president of the country.
“Ang tinatahak na landas ni PBBM ay taliwas sa inaasahan ng mayoryang nagluklok sa kanya. Ang bigas na pangunahing pagkain na mahalaga sa mamamayan ang naging batayan ng pagboto sa kasalukuyang administrasyon. Ang pangakong gawing 20 pesos ang kilo ng bigas at di nya kayang pangatawanan ang siyang magiging daan upang masiphayo ang mga umaasa sa kanya. Ito rin ang magiging daan upang dumausdos ang kanyang popularidad,” socialist-leaning Sanlakas -Cebu secretary general Teodorico “Ka Teody” Duran Navea told Maharlika Nu Media in an exclusive interview.
On the other hand, believed to be aiming for the 2028 presidency, VP and concurrent Education Secretary Sara’s popularity was dented during that period when the controversy about the Department of Education’s memorandum revising the “diktadurang Marcos” (Marcos dictatorship) term to simply “diktadura” (dictatorship) in the Araling Panlipunan subject stirred controversy.
The P125-million confidential funds may also have affected Inday Sara’s popularity.
Pulse Asia, however, said the latest appraisal of PBBM and VP Sara still means Filipinos appreciate their work performance.
In Publicus Asia’s PAHAYAG 2023 Third Quarter survey which was released on September 28, the results also showed a similar decline in the proportion of Pro-Administration sentiment, and an increase in Anti-Administration sentiments although the pollster claimed “these shifts do not appear to have an observable impact on the leanings towards opposition.”
Pro-administration support decreased and experienced a notable decline.
Specifically, the proportion of respondents who expressed Pro-Administration sentiments dropped from 48% in Q2 to 43% in Q3.
This decrease indicates that fewer individuals are aligned with the current administration as well as its priorities compared to the previous quarter, Publicus said. (ai/mnm)
By Vergel Labesig
THE Alliance of Concerned Teachers hit Education Secretary Sara Duterte for “abdicating” her responsibility to lead and protect the education system.
The group lambasted Duterte over her statement that she will not take part in the final decision on the proposal to revise some terminologies in the basic education curriculum pertaining to the Marcos dictatorship.
“It is deeply unsettling that the Education Secretary has chosen to distance herself from this pivotal decision, especially when it concerns the revision of terminologies related to the Marcos Sr. regime, a period marked by human rights violations, corruption, and tyranny,” Vladimer Quetua, the group’s chairperson, said.
“By neglecting her role in this process, VP Sara Duterte is effectively abdicating her responsibility to provide the leadership and guidance necessary to protect the quality and truthfulness of our education system, particularly when it comes to matters as crucial as curriculum revisions. Such revisions hold immense national importance as they directly influence the knowledge and perspectives our students gain about our history and society,” Quetua added.
Although the group acknowledged the need for experts and scholars to make curriculum decisions, he said the Education secretary should “actively participate in these matters considering that the curriculum is one of the fundamental bases of daily teaching.”
“This underscores our concern that her lack of educational background may hinder her ability to effectively oversee the department, potentially leading to misdirection,” Quetua said.
“Mariin din naming kinukundena ang anumang hakbangin na baluktutin at palabnawin ang pag-aaral sa kasaysayan. Nagmumula sa edukasyon ang pagmumulat sa mga kabataan higit lalo pang malagim na yugto ito ng ating kasaysayan. Our educational system should remain a beacon of truth and enlightenment,” he added.
By Vergel Labesig
VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte admitted that technology will play a major role in education, thus the need for the sector to be responsive to its effects on learners.
“We now live in an era where undeniably, technology must be harnessed to improve access, quality, and equality in education,” Duterte said at the 2023 Global Education and Innovation Summit held in Seoul, South Korea Thursday.
Artificial Intelligence, she said, will also certainly create another paradigm shift in education.
“While this possibility will present newer and greater opportunities, it will also present many uncertainties in our vision of digital education,” she said.
Duterte added that the use of technology “should wrap around critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.”
Critical thinking, she said, helps learners differentiate truthful information from what is not, enabling them to make better judgments and decisions and become productive citizens.
“We must be responsive to the effects of technology in our educational systems,” she said, adding that education policymakers and experts need to be able to immediately assess the impact of technological innovations on the development of students.
“The most important result is not the technology itself, but how it affects the development of our students,” Duterte said.
“Lastly, adaptability and sustainability of new technology in education systems must be studied by the end users before implementation,” she said. “We must recognize that some technologies may work for one ecosystem but may not work for others.”
She said the impact and effectivity of technology should be determined by the users — the teachers and students.
She stressed that the “ultimate result of all our efforts should be the molding of productive global citizens, equipped with 21st-century skills, but with a heart for nation-building.”
By: Junex Doronio
REMINISCENT OF THE bitter experience of former Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binary who had been leading the surveys as the preferred presidential bet in 2016 but lost due to corruption charges against him, the controversy of P125-million confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) may gravely affect Vice President Sara Duterte’s chances in a three-way presidential race with Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Political analyst and University of the Philippines professor Ela Atienza noted that Duterte attacked Hontivero because she perceived the senator as a “threat”.
“The highest ranking opposition now is Risa. But the point is, [Duterte] has to show that she knows something, at lumalabas napakapikon niya, ‘di ba?” Atienza said.
The UP professor also recalled the case of Binay who had to face controversies mid-term and now VP Sara already had to grapple with them in her first year of office.
Failing to give satisfactory answers on how confidential funds of the OVP were used in 2022 when no line item for them existed in the previous budget, Duterte resorted to personal attacks against her critics, singling out Hontiveros and ACT Teachers Representative France Castro.
Atienza said that Duterte engaging in a word war with Hontiveros and trying to dodge explaining her CF only showed that she wasn’t ready to be criticized nor questioned.
“In Davao, she’s spoiled. In Davao, there’s a group of people protecting her, they answer for her. They run the city hall for her. She is very defensive because she’s not used to being criticized. She usually has other people answering for her but this is the national stage,” she said.
On the other hand, sociologist Jayeel Cornelio said that while Sara enjoys tremendous popularity while reaping the benefits of the Duterte brand (thanks to her father, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte), she cannot escape public scrutiny when it comes to issues of corruption. (AI/MNM)
VP and Education Secretary Sara Duterte (left) and Sen. Imee Marcos (right). (Photo courtesy of the Kahimyang Project)
IN A SURPRISING TWIST in the political arena, Senator Imee Marcos openly chided her perceived “BFF’ (best friends forever) in Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte for keeping 433 security personnel ostensibly willing to take the bullet for the country’s second-highest official.
Senator Imee’s first shot at Inday Sara was not only surprising but also unexpected since the two “Alpha females” are publicly close, politically and personally.
In fact, VP Sara Duterte had revealed that it was Senator Imee Marcos who persuaded her to run for the second highest post in the country and not Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who many believe was the one called “tambaloslos” by the feisty VPES (Vice President and Education Secretary) after she tendered her irrevocable resignation as a member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, which she ran under in 2022 polls.
“Ang tambaloslos kasi sa Bisaya pwede mo siyang i-interpret na joke and pwede mo rin siyang i-interpret na pagmumura, and pwede mo siyang i-interpret na pang iinsulto,” Inday Sara explained.
Romualdez, a first-degree cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr., is the party president of the Lakas-CMD which has 71 members at the House of Representatives composed of 316 legislators and only one member at the Senate.
The gentleman from Leyte just ignored what some political analysts called an “unstatesmanlike” remark made by SWOH (Sara without an H).
Collins Dictionary defines unstatesmanlike as “not resembling or befitting a political leader whose wisdom, integrity, etc. win great respect.”
Of course, the House Speaker and Senator Imee are also first-degree cousins.
By the way, reliable sources said that Imee is actually gunning for the mayoral seat of Manila, the country’s capital.
That’s why Imee allegedly bought a one-hectare property in Sta. Mesa from former President and ex-Manila Mayor Erap Estrada to prepare for the 2025 mayoralty race in Manila.
If Imee wins as Manila mayor in 2025, this could be a big boost to her cousin Martin’s presidential ambition and may derail Sara’s march to Malacañang in 2028.
Apparently recognizing the immense popularity of Inday Sara who would be a shoo-in if presidential elections were held today, some political operators think that the issues of being abusive in power like having 433 “bodyguards” and the millions of pesos of so-called confidential funds could pull her down.
It can be recalled that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) justified Inday Sara’s creation of the VPSPG (Vice President Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) in June 2022.
The OVP said it is necessary to have a team independent from the Presidential Security Group (PSG) that will protect future vice presidents in case of political differences with the President.
The VPSPG “will inevitably perform even when the Vice President and the President face the misfortune of having a relationship strained or broken by political differences,” just like what had happened between former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and then Vice President Leni Robredo.
This early, signs of cracks in the UniTeam are showing with PBBM getting closer to PH’s old ally the United States in asserting the Philippine sovereignty versus China while Sara is ominously silent on Chinese bullying.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to discern that eventually, PBBM will endorse his cousin Martin Romualdez as the administration standard bearer for the 2028 presidential race.
As they say, blood is thicker than water.
Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
(ai/mnm)