Sen. Sonny Angara, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, defends the 2024 budget of the Judiciary during Monday’s plenary session November 13, 2023. Senate PRIB Photos/File

MANILA — Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara's colleagues, including House Speaker Martin Romualdez, on Tuesday hailed his appointment to the Marcos Cabinet as the next secretary of the Department of Education, saying his background in championing reforms in education made him qualified for the job.

Angara will begin leading the DepEd starting July 19 when his predecessor Vice President Sara Duterte officially steps down from the agency. 

Angara is on his second of 2 allowed consecutive terms in the Senate.

READ: Sara Duterte resigns from Marcos Cabinet

Senate President Francis Escudero said that while Angara's task is "indeed gargantuan," he has "full confidence in his ability to lead the DepEd with excellence and integrity."

"His proven track record in legislative work, particularly in education reform, uniquely positions him to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead," he said.

The DepEd is the biggest bureaucracy in the government and receives the highest allocation in the annual national budget. 

READ: Sonny Angara is new DepEd chief

Angara has a Master of Laws from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics.

His prior legislative work includes the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act and the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (K-12).

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino said that while the upper chamber would "lose another legal mind as a consequence," Angara "will do a good job as DepEd secretary with his EdCom background and familiarity with current issues." 

READ: Marcos Jr. says looking for DepEd chief who can raise PH test scores  

For former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Angara is "more than qualified" to head the country's "most important agency, with the biggest share in the national budget no less."

House Speaker Martin Romualdez said Angara's background and legislative work in education policy equip him with the expertise needed to lead the DepEd. 

"The House of Representatives fully supports Secretary Angara in this new chapter. We are eager to collaborate with him to realize our vision of ensuring every Filipino child has access to quality education," Romualdez said.

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EdCom commissioner Rep. Jose Francisco "Kiko" Benitez also welcomed Angara's appointment to the education agency, saying the sector needs a leader who "intimately knows the ins and outs of our education system, and understands it from a finance and management perspective."

"In this regard, Senator Angara is the right man for the job," he said. 

The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) also lauded Angara's appointment.

"First of all, we congratulate the honorable Senator on his appointment and this is a welcome development, we look forward to his efforts as the new Education chief," Atty. Kristine Carmina Manaog, COCOPEA’s legal counsel, told ABS-CBN News.

Sen. Angara was one of the five names that COCOPEA endorsed to Pres. Marcos when it submitted a letter to his office recently. 

Atty. Manaog said they believe Angara is a good fit for the role given the number of legislative measures he advocated for the education sector.

"Senator Angara we believe has extensive experience  in education, especially in his legislative efforts for education reforms and we also think and see that he has a deep seated commitment sa education. And we also saw in his career, he has consistently demonstrated a strong dedication to advancing and uplifting education here in the Philippines," Atty. Manaog said.

A teachers' group had called on Marcos to appoint an educator and not a politician to the top education post.

Benjo Basas, Teachers' Dignity Coalition's national chairperson, pointed out in a release that "politicians always have political considerations, whether for upcoming elections or the interests of their party and political clan."

The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) welcomed Angara's appointment, saying in a release that his "swift" appointment is "crucial to ensure that there is no disruption" in Filipino children's education.

PBEd said that while it acknowledges the significance of emphasizing competence over political considerations in the appointment of a new DepEd secretary, Angara "is expected to use his political savvy to navigate legislative processes, build partnerships, and secure resources and support for learners and teachers."

READ: Next DepEd chief should be educator not politician — teachers' group

—with reports from RG Cruz and Joyce Balancio , ABS-CBN News