Not all Cabinet members will openly support Mar

MANILA, Philippines — Now it can be told.

Not all Cabinet members will openly support Liberal Party presidential bet and Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II because one of them opted to remain politically neutral.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said he cannot side with any candidate because his agency works with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure credible polls.

"Among the Cabinet, I should be the one who is colorless. We are the partner of Comelec because of our election duties. I think it is more important that we, together with the Comelec and the public, ensure that the elections will be clean and credible," Luistro told reporters on the sidelines of a National Health Summit in Pasay on Friday.

"I decided not to appear in political gatherings so that our election duties will not be colored. Our elections to be viewed as fair," he added.

Luistro said those performing poll duties including public school teachers should not favor any politician or political group.

There have been speculations that President Benigno Aquino III's Cabinet is not solid behind Roxas, who announced his presidential bid last July 31.

Malacañang previously said that Cabinet members are free to support any presidential candidate since Aquino does not have the habit of forcing anybody against his will.

Luistro said the provision of social services should not be affected by politics.

"If we stop building classrooms because we fear that it might be interpreted as politicizing, the people will be shortchanged," the education chief said.

"Maybe other government programs can wait but health, education and social services should be beyond politics," he added.

Luistro said he wants to hear the candidates' stand on the controversial K to 12 program, which is now being questioned before the Supreme Court.

"I would like to whoever will run for president if he intends to continue K to 12 because this is an issue in the education sector," Luistro said.

"I think the issue should be part of the agenda of whoever will seek the presidency," he added.

The K to 12 program covers 13 years of basic education and will revise the college general curriculum by removing some subjects.

Education officials believe the program is necessary because the Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide with a 10-year pre-university cycle. They said a 12-year program is the recognized standard for students and professionals globally.

Critics of the K to 12 program, however, believe the new curriculum violates constitutional provisions on national language, Philippine culture, nationalist education and labor policy.

They also warned that the curriculum changes would threaten the job security of around 85,000 college workers.