Sara quits Marcos Cabinet

After months of souring relations between political families whose team-up scored a landslide victory in 2022, Vice President Sara Duterte resigned from her post as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) yesterday.

- NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS and EDITH REGALADO

A statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) confirmed that "as of 2:21 p.m.today, 19 June 2024, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, went to Malacañang and tendered her resignation as Member of the Cabinet, Secretary of the Department of Education and Vice Chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC, effective 19 July 2024.

"She declined to give a reason why. She will continue to serve as Vice President. We thank her for her service."

At a press briefing yesterday afternoon at the DepEd complex in Pasig, Duterte announced her resignation as education secretary.

"Earlier today, June 19, 2024, I sought an audience with the President and tendered my resignation as the Secretary of Education effective July 19, 2024," Duterte told reporters.

"I have given my 30-day notice to ensure the proper and orderly transition for the benefit of the next secretary," she added. In her resignation letter addressed to President Marcos, she said she had already prepared a transition plan for all the nine strands of the DepEd, as well as for posts chaired by DepEd and the Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization. Duterte is SEAMEO Council president.

“I shall remain of service to the country through the various programs, activities and projects of the Office of the Vice President. I thank you for the opportunity to have served as a member of your Cabinet,” she added.

Amid criticisms and apparently soured relations between their families, Duterte said her resignation should not be construed as weakness.

“This is brought by true concern for our teachers and the Filipino youth. While I will not be heading the DepEd, I will continue to push for the quality of education that Filipinos deserve,” she said.

“While I will no longer be the secretary of education, I will remain a mother who looks after and would stand up for the welfare of all teachers and students in the Philippines,” she added.