Presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio. (Photo courtesy of Davao CIO)
DAVAO CITY – With presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio set to be appointed as education secretary, her camp said she intends to produce peace-loving and patriotic graduates who can contribute to their communities.
"Our country needs a future generation of patriotic Filipinos that advocate peace and discipline in their respective communities," Duterte-Carpio said in a statement Thursday.
This came as the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) expressed apprehension that Sara will be “an education predator with her history of violence, abuse, and impunity."
"We cannot afford to be under a Duterte learning system that killed lives and dreams again," CEGP Secretary-General Regina Tolentino said in a Facebook post, in an apparent response to Duterte's impending appointment.
Tolentino did not offer any evidence to any of her claims.
Her group, however, is opposed to the implementation of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) in universities, which the CEGP has repeatedly slammed in the past as it "only legitimizes abuses."
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict has identified CEGP as among the leftist organizations that have recruited college students to become armed combatants of the communist New People's Army.
Meanwhile, Department of Education (DepEd) outgoing Secretary Leonor Briones welcomed the announcement of Duterte-Carpio's running mate, presumptive President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to install Duterte-Carpio in her place.
“I, along with the whole DepEd community are prepared to work with Duterte-Carpio for the transition of work," Briones said.
She cited they will also turn over to Duterte the Basic Education Plan 2030.
“It will be the first time in DepEd to leave a medium-term plan for the new set of officials. We are confident that the new leaders will be fit to do the job and will continue what we have started,” he said. (PNA)
