THE DEPARTMENT of Education on Monday celebrated its 123rd Founding Anniversary with the theme “Bayanihan para sa Edukasyon.”

DepEd was instituted on June 23, 1898.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones led the commemoration by recognizing the role of teaching and non-teaching personnel, parents, stakeholders, partners and the community in their continuous efforts to improve the quality of education amidst the challenges of the pandemic.

“The impact of Covid19 pandemic has highlighted the spirit of Bayanihan within the Department through the support of parents, of teachers, personnel, partner stakeholders, local and national government officials as we move forward as what we hopefully describe a new normal, the better normal, or the best normal where Covid could have been conquered,” she said during the virtual flag-raising ceremony.

The ceremony showcased messages from DepEd officials, teachers and learners thanking stakeholders and the community for assisting the department in its mission.

Undersecretary for Planning Service, Human Resources, and Organizational Development Jesus Mateo noted that the collaboration of internal and external stakeholders made education possible during the pandemic.

“Our Department remains true to its mission of providing inclusive and quality education program for all learners and we cannot proceed to the implementation of Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan without the uniting support of both our internal and external stakeholders. Therefore, I want to commend the unifying spirit of Bayanihan among our officials, our partner agencies, our hard-working teachers and employees, and most especially our learners and their families,” Mateo said.

Meanwhile, Marco Paolo Victoriano, a teacher-broadcaster from Calumpit National High School in Bulacan, thanked the department for its programs and initiatives.

“Ngayong ika-123 taong anibersaryo ng Department of Education, isang taos-pusong pagbati at pasasalamat sa mga programang lumalayon na mas mapataas ang kalidad ng edukasyon sa ating bansa at sa pagtulong hindi lamang sa mga bata kundi para na rin sa mga guro upang positibong harapin ang mga hamon ng kinabukasan,” Victoriano said.

Briones thanked the Filipino people for their assistance to continuously improve education in the country.

“Thank you very much for all your contributions. Thank you very much for the advice, for the good words of praise, and for the wonderful pieces of advice that the citizens of this country have given to the Department of Education as to how we will even better or improve the levels of our services,” Briones said.

“We look forward to the future. If the present is so bad, there is always a future to look forward to. The future of digitalization. The future of teaching our children more knowledge. The future of preserving our environment. And the future of creating a better life for each and every member of the Philippine community,” the DepEd chief added.