ON June 19, 2022, outgoing Davao City Mayor and vice president-elect Sara Duterte took her oath as the 15th vice president of the Philippines. She is the youngest to be elected into the position of vice president.
With 32,208,417 votes or 61.53 percent of the total votes cast in the vice presidential race, the votes gained by Duterte is the largest majority since 1969, and also the most votes for any office in a single-winner election in Philippine history.
Duterte is also the third Mindanawon to have been elected as vice president. The other two were Emmanuel Pelaez (December 30, 1961 – December 30, 1965) and Teofisto Guingona, Jr. (February 7, 2001 – June 30, 2004).
Despite initially declining to run for a higher elective post, particularly for the presidency, Duterte said she has opted to run for the vice presidency to "heed the call" of those supporting her.
"After the deadline (filing of COC in October 2021), the offer to run for vice president to meet you halfway. It's a path that would allow me to heed your call to serve our country, and make me a stronger person and public servant in the years that lie ahead," Duterte said.
Following her proclamation as vice president-elect, it was announced by President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. that Duterte has accepted the challenge to be Department of Education Secretary.
Duterte said in a previous statement that she would work on producing skilled learners with the mindset to realize their full potential.
"Our country needs a future generation of patriotic Filipinos that advocate peace and discipline in their respective communities," she said.
Duterte has also stated that she is looking into establishing regional extension offices to better expedite services and programs of the Office of the Vice President to communities.
She also said in a previous interview that she is looking into establishing programs on peacebuilding and child protection.
Duterte still has ten days before she fully assumes her position as vice president. Hence, her team is currently in the process of meeting with the team of incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo for the transition between administration. Robredo is hoping that Duterte will continue some of her programs.
We might be able to get hear her final plans and programs once she takes her seat as the 15th Vice President of the Philippines.
For now, we are hopeful that the vice president-elect will be able to come up with meaningful programs that will help stir our education sector to a more fruitful path.