Press Release - Gatchalian: Co-sponsorship speech Proposed Senate Resolution No. 1070, taking into...

Delivered by the Honorable Win Gatchalian, Senator of the 19th Congress:

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, a pleasant day to you all. I am happy to stand before you today to express our heartfelt appreciation for the exemplary service and unwavering dedication of Senator, now Secretary, Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara to this esteemed institution and to the Filipino people.

As the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, I have witnessed firsthand his commitment to our shared mission. His passion for education and his tireless efforts to uplift the lives of our youth have been a source of inspiration to us all.

His tireless advocacy for access to quality education has been a hallmark of his tenure in both chambers of Congress. Our collaborative efforts on crafting landmark laws such as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, the Inclusive Education Act, and the Alternative Learning System Act, are just a few testament to his dedication to empowering Filipino students. Ang mga batas na ito ay hindi lamang tagumpay ng buong Senado kundi patunay din ng kanyang dedikasyon tungo sa pag-angat ng antas ng edukasyon sa ating bansa.

It was also then Senator Angara's resolution that the Committee used as basis in crafting the law that established the Second Congressional Commission on Education where he eventually became a Commissioner. He fulfilled this role with commitment and enthusiasm, and I have personally witnessed him study and propose brilliant solutions to address the various challenges besetting our education sector, especially in the field of education governance and finance. His education advocacy indeed continues the enduring legacy of his beloved father and our role model, the late Sen. Edgardo Angara. And I believe that this legacy will live on in the Angara family, as I remember that he even brought his son Manolo to UP BGC on the first meeting of the EDCOM in January 2023.

It was hard to see a dedicated and able Commissioner leave the EDCOM, but Secretary Sonny's appointment is not only welldeserved. It is pivotal for the Department of Education to have a leader whose solid background in education is backed with a solid