Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara officially resigned as a Senator following his appointment as the new secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) effective Friday, July 19.
In a letter dated July 16, Angara informed Senate President Chiz Escudero of his resignation.
“I have served our countrymen through the Senate of the Philippines for 11 years. And in that period, I have been able to shepherd landmark legislation on making quality education and healthcare more accessible; increasing the take-home pay of our workers; increasing the social pensions of senior citizens; exempting PWDs from VAT; giving incentives to our national athletes and coaches; and providing bigger support to Tatak Pinoy industries, among many others,” said Angara.
“The portfolio that I will be taking on as DepEd Secretary is riddled with very serious challenges. But I am confident that with your support and of the rest of my colleagues at the Senate, these challenges are surmountable,” he added.
Angara received his legal degree from the University of the Philippines, his master's degree in law from Harvard University, and his economic degree from the London School of Economics. His tenure as a senator was set to expire in 2025.
Since he was the president of the University of the Philippines, his father, the late Senate President Edgardo Angara, is equally well-known in the field of education.
It can be recalled on June 19 when Vice President Sara Duterte who is the former DepEd Secretary tendered her resignation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on June 19.
Duterte, however, did not mention why she left her post. She only said that her resignation was "not a sign of weakness" but stirred by compassion for teachers and students.
