PRESUMPTIVE Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio is very much qualified to be the next Department of Education secretary.

Liloan Mayor Cristina Garcia-Frasco stressed this out, saying the Davao City mayor has been the Local School Board for a long time and thus, carries enough experience to head the department.

Garcia-Frasco is the spokesperson of Duterte-Carpio.

The Liloan mayor issued the statement in answer to Senator Risa Hontiveros’ take that an education expert should lead DepEd.

“Beyond theoretical ideas of managing the education sector, which seems to be the extent of Senator Hontiveros’ preferred qualifications for DepEd Secretary, VP-elect Sara will certainly bring to the DepEd actual performance and solution-oriented leadership necessary to uplift the quality of education in our country,” she said.

“We respectfully suggest to Senator Hontiveros that instead of substituting her judgement for that of the President-elect, she may want to instead give thanks to her supporters who elected her Senator for giving her a fresh opportunity to support our incoming government that it may succeed for the benefit of all Filipinos,” she added.

Hontiveros earlier said an education expert should manage the department to address the issues on the education sector.

“Napakahalaga sana… na ang hahawak ng education department – ang magpapatupad nung kaka-sponsor lang namin sa Senado na Education Commission II, ang tutugon sa iba’t ibang problemang sa ating namuong education crisis pre-pandemic up to during the pandemic until now – ay isang education expert,” the senator said.