FORMER Department of Education Undersecretary Alain Pascua was grateful for being part of the agency, proud at how he helped improve and uplift the education system in the country.

“Magkahalong saya at kurot sa puso. Saya, dahil sa anim na taon nating panunungkulan bilang Pangalawang Kalihim sa Pangangasiwa ng DepEd, naisabuhay natin ang mga ideya at plano upang maiangat ang edukasyon ng mga bata at mapagbuti ang buhay ng ating mga guro,” he said as he bids farewell to his office.

Pascua was Undersecretary for Administration under the Duterte government.

More than 60 percent of DepEd’s total program funding is already allocated to the school building program, computerization program, school-based feeding program, and disaster-related quick response program, which he oversees through the services and divisions under him.

The Public Education Network, the DepEd Enterprise Resource Planning System, the Last Mile Schools, the DepEd Core Values, the Sports Manuals, and the Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd were just a few of the significant initiatives that were developed under his leadership by the DepEd Administration Strand to create the comprehensive framework for Public Schools of the Future.

He also expressed gratitude to the people who helped the department improve the quality of education of students.

“Kaya’t hindi naman talaga natatapos ang lahat sa pamamaalam at pagsasara ng pinto nitong silid na tinuring ko na ring tahanan. Maraming posibilidad. Marami tayong dapat i-look forward. Pero sa ngayon, ang nararapat ay magpa-salamat,” he said.

“Salamat sa inyo. Sa lahat ng nakasama kong mangarap sa loob at labas ng opisinang ito. Baunin natin ang mga aral, ngiti, at alaalang nabuo sa nakalipas na mga taon. Sa ating paglabas sa pinto, bitbitin pa rin natin ang pag-asa at pangarap natin para sa bayan,” Pascua added.