Manila – Vice President Sara Z. Duterte led the 88th-anniversary celebration of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Wednesday, affirming the office’s commitment to serving and positively impacting the lives of Filipinos. In her address, Duterte emphasized that every action taken by the OVP would aim towards the nation’s development and meeting the needs of every Filipino.
According to Philippines News Agency, Duterte extended gratitude to the OVP’s staff and former vice presidents for their contributions to strengthening the office. “Lubos akong nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng bumubuo ng OVP, kabilang na ang lahat ng mga dating Pangalawang Pangulo ng Pilipinas. Sila ang nagsimula, nagtayo, at nagpatibay sa Office of the Vice President. Dahil sa kanilang sipag, talino, at matatag na pamumuno, naging mahalagang bahagi ng kasaysayan ng Pilipinas at ng buhay ng mga Pilipino ang OVP (I thank all those who are part of the OVP, including all the former vice presidents of the Philippines. They started, built, and strengthened the Office of the Vice President. Because of their perseverance, intellect, and strong leadership, the OVP became an important part of Philippine history and the lives of Filipinos),” she said.
In her concurrent role as the Education Secretary, Duterte also assured support for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in improving education quality. This assurance followed discussions with Presidential Adviser on Muslim Affairs Almarim Tillah about peace, development, and education in the region. “It is important for us to improve the quality of education in the entire country, including the BARMM,” Duterte stated. The Department of Education (DepEd) is forming a focal team to collaborate with the BARMM Ministry of Basic and Higher Education to address the educational needs of learners in the region.