Hundreds of educators, ex-NEDA employees back Robredo for president
MANILA, Philippines — Hundreds of former and current heads of schools, colleges and universities, faculty members from the University of Santo Tomas, and former National Economic and Development Authority employees have come out in support of Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid.
Over 100 former and current heads of schools, colleges and universities endorsed Robredo and her running mate, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, saying that they can address the challenges faced by the education sector in the country head-on and hands-on.
“As Robredo has demonstrated in her tenure as vice president and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, her brand of leadership shines through best in times of crisis — one that can find solutions that are context-based, data-driven and equity-oriented,” they said.
They continued, “Thus, circumspect of the challenges ahead, we believe that Robredo is the Education President our country needs to address this learning crisis and attain quality education for all.”
They prodded Robredo and Pangilinan to prioritize the following under their administration:
- Increase education funding to 6% of the country’s gross domestic product
- Pay attention to early childhood care and development
- Pursue necessary technology-mediated teaching and learning-related reforms to improve the quality of learning in schools
- Invest heavily in improving teacher quality
- Wage a nationwide campaign to enhance the value of technical and vocational education and training
- Align the qualifications learners acquire from formal, non-formal and informal sources with learning outcomes at different levels of the Philippine Qualifications Framework while further developing and implementing the Philippine Credit Transfer System
- Rationalize the role of public and private educational institutions ensuring complementarity and improving the efficiency of the entire education system
- Expand Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education subsidies
- Ramp up investments in research and development in research universities
- Ensure coordination between the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
- Focus on job creation to ensure that no graduate is left unemployed
In endorsing Robredo, the former and current school heads also condemned historical revisionism, particularly the framing of the regime of the deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos as the country’s “golden years” despite human rights abuses, media censorship and underinvestment in education.
“We take this stand consistent with our responsibility to ensure that academic institutions serve as safe spaces for discussion and truth-telling while reminding our fellow educational leaders how our schools and universities served as bastions of truth during the years of the dictatorship,” they said.
Among the signatories to the statement are former CHED chairpersons Patricia Licuanan, Angel Alcala and Ester Garcia, former DepEd Secretaries Armin Luistro and Fe Hidalgo, and former TESDA Director General Edicio Dela Torre.
Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Roberto Yap, De La Salle University President Br. Bernard Oca, De La Salle Philippines President Edgar Chua and Adamson University President Fr. Marcelo Manimtim were also among those who signed the statement of support.
Competent, committed, compassionate
At least 400 faculty members of UST also endorsed Robredo for president, in what volunteer group Thomasians for Leni called “a first in the history” of the Catholic university which has usually kept its hands off politics.
The UST faculty members said Robredo embodies the core values of the university of competence, commitment and compassion.
“Our country is at a crossroad. We are in a critical period of our history. We need a competent, committed and compassionate leadership to rise above these troubling times; to overcome health and economic challenges; to revive the respect for human dignity; to achieve moral restoration; to champion truth, justice and peace,” they said.
Further, they said that Robredo “clearly espouses and exemplifies” servant leadership, effective communication and collaboration, analytical and creative thinking, and lifelong learning, also known as the SEAL of Thomasian formation.
They said that Robredo showcased these through her advocacies, her work with people of diverse backgrounds and her COVID-19 response programs.
Among the signatories to the statement are Accountancy Dean Patricia Empleo, Commerce Dean Leonardo Canoy Jr., Education Dean Pilar Romero and Nursing Dean Rowena Escolar-Chua.
‘Clear platform’
Over 500 former and retired officials and employees of NEDA and its attached agencies also endorsed Robredo for president.
“We believe that VP Robredo is the only candidate with a clear platform for inclusive and empowered citizenry to reduce poverty, improve access to effective delivery of services, transparent public financial management and good governance,” they said.
They added that even before she announced her candidacy for president, Robredo “demonstrated honest, decent and competent leadership in dispensing the duties and functions of her office.”
Robredo has enjoyed an outpouring of support from officials of the administrations of former Presidents Fidel Ramos, Gloria Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, a handful of former senators, a “near consensus” of Constitution framers, former Philippine Bar Association presidents, economists, religious groups, and human rights defenders.
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