Vice President and outgoing Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte and recently appointed Education Secretary Sonny Angara during the Department of Education Turnover Ceremony at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepED Central Office in Pasig City on July 18, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA -- Sen. Sonny Angara officially took over the reins of the Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday, succeeding Vice President Sara Duterte, who resigned from the agency in June. 

In a symbolic gesture during a turnover ceremony held at the DepEd Complex in Pasig City, Duterte handed over the agency's seal and flag to Angara. 

“Napakalaking karangalan po ang ipinagkaloob sa atin ni Pangulong Bong Bong Marcos upang maglingkod bilang Kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon,” Angara said.

“Buong pagpapakumbaba kong tinatanggap ang katungkulan na ito, bilang tugon sa tiwala at hamon ng ating Pangulo na higit na pag-ibayuhin ang mga programa na magsusulong sa mataas na kalidad ng karungan para sa ating mga mag-aaral,” he added. 

Angara paid tribute to his predecessor and other outgoing DepEd officials, saying: “Sa loob ng dalawang taon, kayo ang naging sandigan ng ating mga mag-aaral at ng mga guro sa panahon ng mga suliranin.”  

“We will build from what you have already started,” he told Duterte.  

Angara earlier said he would focus on simplifying the curriculum and improving benefits for teachers. 

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Duterte had resigned from the cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following months of tense relations between their families. 

Duterte gave no clear reason for her move but she leaves her post as education minister ahead of mid-term and local elections scheduled for next year.

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Marcos and Duterte had teamed up to a landslide victory in the May 2022 presidential and vice presidential election.

But the vice president's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, had a very public falling out with Marcos. 

'We are okay': Sara Duterte says no problems with Marcos

Fronting a rally of supporters in his home city Davao on January 28, the Duterte patriarch accused Marcos of being a "drug addict", while his youngest son Sebastian Duterte said Marcos should resign.

Marcos hit back the next day, claiming that his predecessor's long-term use of the powerful opioid fentanyl had taken a toll on his health.

Neither man provided evidence of the other's alleged drug use.

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-- With a report from Agence France-Presse