DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 28 June) – Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara will be the guest speaker during the commencement ceremony of the University of the Philippines Mindanao on July 10, the school announced on its Facebook page.
Prior to his appointment as the 37th DepEd secretary on July 20 last year, Angara served as senator from 2013 to 2024.
He was the chair of the Senate finance committee in the 19th Congress, during which he pushed the legislation of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
He served as youth committee chair in the 18th Congress, where he helped with the Sangguniang Kabataan reforms and youth participation in policy and nation building.
In addition, Angara authored Republic Act 10908, also known as the Integrated History Act of 2016, which mandates the integration into the curricula of basic and higher education the history, culture, and identity of Indigenous Peoples and Filipino Muslims.
He believes in promoting an understanding of the history of Filipino Muslims, and that Philippine history would not be complete without recognizing their contribution.
He co-sponsored Republic Act 11054, known as the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Angara offered to quit his post on May 22 in deference to the President’s call for all Cabinet members to tender courtesy resignations, but it was not accepted. (Marithe Franchesca Lalican/ MindaNews Intern)
