HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Monday expressed full support for the Department of Education’s new partnership with Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI) and Security Bank Corporation (SBC) to mentor public school principals and strengthen education quality nationwide.

Romualdez, who represents Leyte’s 1st District, underscored the importance of equipping principals with advanced leadership and management skills that can be cascaded to teachers to boost student learning outcomes.

“This is a critical collaboration between government and the private sector to transform our education system. Our principals serve as frontline leaders of teachers and stewards of students, and empowering them means empowering the future of our children,” the Speaker said.

He lauded Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara for pursuing the initiative in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to strengthen public-private partnerships in education.

“Secretary Angara’s proactive leadership in forging this partnership shows his strong commitment to the President’s vision of an education system that is modern, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of our learners,” Romualdez added.

Last week, DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with SBFI and SBC to expand principal mentoring efforts under the Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building Program. The agreement also includes support for school infrastructure projects nationwide.

This year, 29 principals from different regions will undergo a three-year mentoring program in collaboration with Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle Philippines, the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and The HEAD Foundation of Singapore.

The initiative seeks to combine local expertise with international best practices to strengthen school leadership, drive institutional improvement, and deepen community engagement.

Since 2011, Security Bank has invested P1.9 billion in education through its flagship Build a School, Build a Nation Program. The initiative has built 845 classrooms in 145 schools across 86 cities and municipalities, repaired 449 classrooms, trained over 36,000 teachers, and mentored more than 170 principals.

Angara earlier emphasized that while addressing the classroom shortage remains a top priority under the Marcos administration, professional development for principals ensures that infrastructure investments lead to improved learning outcomes.

Romualdez agreed, describing the mentoring program as a worthwhile investment in leadership.

“Collaborations like these are worthwhile investments to upgrade the competence of our school principals as leaders and managers, enabling them to cascade these skills to teachers and, ultimately, to learners,” he said, while also urging more private sector partners to join government efforts to uplift education.

The Speaker assured that the House of Representatives remains committed to supporting the sector through adequate funding, priority legislation, and oversight.

“The House is united with the President in building a Bagong Pilipinas where every Filipino learner has access to quality education. This is central to our vision of producing a generation of Filipinos who are equipped to lead, innovate, and contribute to the country’s progress,” Romualdez said.

“Education is the key to a Bagong Pilipinas. The House stands firmly behind ensuring that every Filipino family has access to a brighter future through quality education,” he added.