Yesterday was the State of the Nation Address by President Benigno S. Aquino III. Below is the statement by the DepEd Secretary Br. Armin Luistro:

The Department of Education is one with President Benigno S. Aquino III in fulfilling his promises to the Filipino people. We remain committed to the Filipino learner.

After addressing the inherited backlog of basic inputs, we continue to address the incremental requirements of enrollment growth and additional requirements with the introduction of Senior High School. In fact, it is only now in the history of the agency that we are going to build classrooms in preparation for FUTURE requirements.

We are also hiring teachers at unprecedented levels that position our schools to provide quality education. The continued roll-out of the K to 12 curriculum sets the foundation for lasting reform of the Philippine educational system.
President Aquino recognizes the gains of DepEd and the hard work of our teachers by showing the real fruits of our labors – students who graduate with a better future and an increased hope in our country. The stories of Mark Escora (TESDA graduate), Jonnalyn Navarossa (TESDA graduate), and Maria Cecilia Fruelda (DepED ALS graduate) are the result of an education system and a reforming bureaucracy that refuse to give up on the Filipino learner.

These graduates represent the perseverance and commitment of our teachers and administrators who lead the fight against ignorance and despair in the most difficult circumstances. We will leave no Filipino child behind.

The President continues to be bound by his social contract to the Filipino people. We will persevere to restore people’s faith in government by pursuing much-needed reforms. We call on everyone to rally together and to move forward collectively in building our nation. Indeed, the Filipino is worth fighting for.