MANILA, Philippines – Teachers’ groups yesterday opposed the appointment of Presidential Assistant for Education Mona Valisno as the new head of the Department of Education (DepEd), saying it would impede the reforms implemented by Secretary Jesli Lapus.
With only four months remaining in her administration, President Arroyo announced on Monday that Valisno would replace Lapus, who will be the new Trade secretary. “What will she (Valisno) be able to do in the remaining four months of her tenure? We believe this reorganization is political accommodation,” said Fidel Fababier, secretary-general of the national teachers’ organization Action and Solidarity for the Empowerment of Teachers (ASSERT).
Fababier said Lapus’ replacement would disrupt the continuity of the current programs and the resolution of issues on the specific provisions on the Magna Carta for Teachers.
Teachers groups have been dialoguing with the DepEd to negotiate working hours and unpaid allowances and benefits since 2006.
“We do not relish the fact that with a new Secretary on board, all our concerns would be dismissed with a simple ‘pag-aaralan muna namin ito, at bumalik na lang kayo muli (We will study this, come back later),” Fababier said.
Benjo Basas, national president of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), a federation of public school teachers’ associations all over the country, said despite Valisno’s long service in the education sector, they are not sure if she can pursue the ongoing reforms of the department.
Valisno herself said she was surprised by the President’s announcement the other day. She said, however, that she is ready to head DepEd because she is familiar with all the issues and concerns in the education sector.
“I’m very honored by the trust and confidence placed in me by the President,” Valisno said.
Valisno co-chaired the Presidential Task Force to Reform the Education Sector from 2008 to 2009 and is a former chair of the Commission on Higher Education. She also worked for DepEd’s forerunner, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports and was the founding director of the National Education Testing and Research Center.
“I have served education all my life,” Valisno said. –Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star)
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
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July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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